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1909
BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY
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Leaves from my Journal
Third Book of the
Faith- Promoting Series,
BY PRESIDENT WILFORD WOODRUFF
'Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of
Young hatter- day Saints
IOLKTH EDITION
THE DESERET NEWS
1909
PREFACE.
We have much pleasure in offering the Fourth Edition of
Leaves from my Journal for public consideration, and trust
that the young people who pursue it will be inspired to emulate
in their lives the faith, perseverance and integrity that so dis-
tinguished its author.
Brother Woodruff was a remarkable man. Few men, who
have followed the quiet and peaceful pursuits of life, have had
such an interesting and eventful experience as he had. Few,
if any in this age, have spent a more active and useful life. He
was particular about recording with his own hand, in a daily
journal, the events of his own career and the things that
came under his observation. His elaborate journal has been one
of the principal sources from which Church history has been
compiled.
Possessed of wonderful energy and determination, and
mighty faith, Brother Woodruff labored long and with great
success in the Church. He ever had a defnite object in view
—to know the will of the Almighty and to do it. No amount
of self-denial was too great for him to cheerfully endure for
the advancement of the cause of God. No labor required of
the Saints was considered by him too onerous to engage in with
his own hands.
Satan, knowing the power for good that Brother Woodruff
would be, if permitted to live, often sought to effect his de-
struction.
The adventures, accidents and hair-breadth escapes that he
met with, are scarcely equalled by the record that the former
apostle, Paul, has left us of his life.
IV PREFACE.
The power of God was manifested in a most remarkable
manner in preserving Brother Woodruff's life. Considering the
number of bones he had broken, and the other bodily injuries
he received, it is certainly wonderful that he lived to such an
advanced age.
On April 7, 1889, Wilford Woodruff was sustained as Presi-
dent of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This
position he held until his death, which occurred September 2,
1898, in his ninety-second year.
Of course, this volume contains but a small portion of the
interesting experience of Brother Woodruff's life, but very many
profitable lessons may be learned from it.
The Publishers.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Strictness of the "Blue Laws" of Connecticut — The Old Prophet
Mason — His Vision — His Prophecy — Hear the Gospel, and Embrace '
It — Visit Kirtland and see the Prophet Joseph Smith — A Work for
the Old Prophet Page \.\S
CHAPTER II.
Preparing to go up to Zion — First Meeting with President Young-
Camp of Zion Starts— Numbers Magnified in the Eyes of Beholders
— Remarkable Deliverance — Selfishness and its Reward Page 5.
CHAPTER III.
Advised to Remain in Missouri — A Desire to Preach — Pray to the
Lord for a Mission — Prayer Answered — Sent on a Mission to Ar-
kansas— Dangerous Journey through Jackson Countv — Living on
Raw Corn, and Sleeping on the Ground— My First Sermon— Refused
Food and Shelter by a Presbyterian Preacher — Wander through
Swamps — Entertained by Indians Page 8.
CHAPTER IV.
A Journey of Sixty Miles Without Food — Confronted by a Bear-
Pass by Unharmed — Surrounded by Wolves— Lost in the Darkness
— Reach a Cabin — Its Inmates — No Supper — Sleep on the Floor —
The Hardest Day's Work of my Life — Twelve Miles More Without
Breakfast — Breakfast and Abuse Together Page 11.
CHAPTER V.
Our Anxiety to Meet a Saint — Journey to Akeman's — A Dream — Find
Mr. Akeman a Rank Apostate — He Raises a Mob — Threatened with
Tar, Feathers, etc. — I Warn Mr. Akeman to Repent — He Falls Dead
at my Feet — I Preach his Funeral Sermon Page 14.^^
CHAPTER VI.
Make a Canoe — Voyage Down the Arkansas River — Sleep in a
Deserted Tavern — One Hundred and Seventy Miles Through
Swamps— Forty Miles a Day in Mud Knee-deep — A Sudden Lame-
ness— Left Alone in an Alligator Swamp— Healed in Answer to
Prayer — Arrival at Memphis — An Odd-looking Preacher — Com-
pelled to Preach — Powerful Aid from the Spirit— Not what the
Audience Expected Page 16.
CHAPTER VII.
Curious Worship — Meet Elder Parrish — Labor Together \a Tennessee
vi CONTENTS.
— Adventure in Bloody River — & Night of Peril — Providential
Light — Menaced by a Mob -Good Advice of a Baptist Preacher —
Summary of my Labors During the Year Page 20.
CHAPTER VIII.
Studying Grammar— Meet Elder Patten— Glorious News — Labor with
A. 0. Smoot — Turned Out of a Meeting House by a Baptist
Preacher — Preach in the Open Air — Good Result — Adventure on
the Terinessee River — A Novel Charge to Arrest and Condemn Men
Upon— Mob Poison our Horses Page 23.
CHAPTER IX.
Attending School — Marriage— Impressed to Take a Mission to Fox
Islands — Advised to Go — Journey to Canada — Cases of Healing —
Journey to Connecticut — My Birthplace — My Mother's Grave —
Baptize Some Relatives— Joined by my Wife — Journey on Foot to
Maine — Arrival at Fox Island Page 27.
CHAPTER X.
Description of Vinal Haven — Population and Pursuit of the People —
Great Variety of Fish — The Introduction of the Gospel Page 32.
CHAPTER XI.
Mr. Newton, the Baptist Preacher, Wrestling with our Testimony —
Rejects it, and Begins to Oppose — Sends to a Methodist Minister to
Help Him— Mr. Douglass' Speech — Our Great Success in the North
Island— Go to the south Island and Baptize Mr. Douglass' Flock —
Great Number of Islands — Boiled Clams — Days of Prayer — Codfish
Flakes Page 36.
CHAPTER XII.
Return to the Mainland — Parting with Brother Hale — My Second
Visit to the Islands — Visit to the Isle of Holt — A Sign Demanded
by Mr. Douglass — A Prediction About Him — Its Subsequent
Fulfillment — Spirit of Opposition — Firing off Cannon and Guns to
Disturb my Meeting Page 39.'
CHAPTER XIII.
Meeting with James Townsend — Decide to go to Bangor — A Long
Journey Through D^ep Snow — Curious Phenomenon— Refused
L »dgin^ at Eight Hou-ses — Entertained by Mr. Teppley — Curious
Coincidence — Mr. Tepp'ev's Despondency — Arrival at Bangor —
Return to the Islands — Adventure with the Tide Page 44.
CHAPTER XIV.
Counseled to Gather with the Saints— Remarkable Manifestation —
CONTENTS. vn
Case of Healing — Efforts of Apostates — Visit from Elders — A Con-
ference— Closing my Labors on the Islands for a Season Page 47.
CHAPTER XV.
Return to Scarboro — Journey Soith — Visit to A. P. Rockwood in
Prison— Incident of Prison Life — Journey to Connecticut —Baptize
my Father's Household Page 50.
CHAPTER XVI.
Taking Leave of my Old Home — Return to Maine — Birth of my First
Child — Appointment to the Apostleship and to a Foreign Mission —
Preparation for the Journey to Zion Page 54.
CHAPTER XVII.
Start upon our Journey — A Hazardous Undertaking — Sicknpss — Se-
vere Weather — My Wife and Child Stricken — A Trying Experience
— My Wife Continues to Fail — Her Spirit Leaves her Body —
Restored by the Power of God — Her Spirit's Experience While
Separated from the Body— Death of my Brother— Arrival at
Rochester — Removal to Quincy Page 57
CHAPTER XVIII.
A Peculiar Revelation— Determination of Enemies to Prevent its
Fulfillment— Start to Far West to Fulfill the Revelation— Our
Arrival there — Hold a Council — Fulfill the Revelation — Corner
Stone of the Temple Laid — Ordained to the Apostleship — Leave Far
West — Meet the Prophet Joseph — A Conference Held— Settle our
Families in Nauvoo Page 61.^
CHAPTER XIX.
A Day of God's Power with the Prophet Joseph Smith — A Great
Number of Sick Persons Healed — The Mob Becomes Alarmed— They
Try to Interfere with the Healing of the Sick— The Mob sent out of
the House— Twin Children Healed Page 67.
CHAPTER XX.
Preparing for our Journey and Mission — The Blessing of the Prophet
Joseph upon our Heads, and his Promises unto us — The Power of
the Devil Manifested to Hinder us in the Performance of our
Journey Page 71.
CHAPTER XXI.
Leave my Family — Start Upon my Mission— Our Condition— Elder
Taylor the Only One Not Sick — Reproof from the Prophet — Inci-
dents Upon the Journey— Elder Taylor Stricken — I Leave him
Sick Page 75.
viii CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXII.
Continue my Journey — Leave Elder Taylor in Germantown — Arrive in
Cleveland — Take Steamer from There to Buffalo— Delayed by a
Storm — Go to Farmington, my Father's Home— Death of my
Grandmother— My Uncle Dies — I Preach his Funeral Sermon —
Arrive in New York Sail for Liverpool — Encounter Storms and
Rough Weather — Arrive in Liverpool Page 78.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Our Visit to Preston — Our First Council in England, in 1840 — We
Take Different Fields of Labor— A Woman Possessed of the
Devil— Attempt to Cast it Out and Fail — Turn Out the Unbelievers
and Succeed — The Evil Spirit Enters Her Child — Commence
Baptizing — The Lord Makes Known His Will to Me Page 82^
CHAPTER XXIV.
My Journey to Herefordshire — Interview with John Benbow — The
Word of the Lord Fulfilled to me — The Greatest Gathering into the
Church Known Among the Gentiles Since the Organization of the
Church in this Dispensation — A Constable Sent to Arrest me — I
Convert and Baptize him — Two Clerks Sent as Detectives to Hear
me Preach, and Both Embrace the Truth — Rectors Petition to have
our Preaching Prohibited — The Archbishop's Reply — Book of Mor-
mon and Hymn Book Printed— Case of Healing Page 85.
CHAPTER XXV.
Closing Testimony— Good and Evil Spirits Page 90.^
CHAPTER XXVI.
How to Obtain Revelation from God — Joseph Smith's Course — Saved
.from Death by a Falling Tree by Obeying the Voice of the Spirit —
A Company of Saints Saved from a Steamboat Disaster by the
Spirit's Warning— Plot to Waylay Elder C. C. Rich and Party s
Foiled by the Same Power Page 93. v
CHAPTER XXVII.
Result of not Obeying the Voice of the Spirit — Lost in a Snowstorm —
Saved in Answer to Prayer — Revelation to Missionaries Necessary *
— Revelation in the St. George Temple Page 98. </
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Patriarchal Blessings and Their Fulfillment — Predictions in my Own
Blessing — Gold Dust From California — Taught by an Angel —
Struggle with Evil Spirits — Administered to by Angels — What
Angels are Sent to the Earth for Page 101.
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
CHAPTER I.
Strictness of the "Blue Laws" of Connecticut— The Old Prophet
Mason — His Vision — His Prophecy — Hear the Gospel, and Embrace
It— Visit Kirtland and see the Prophet Joseph Smith — A Work for
the Old Prophet.
For the benefit of the young Latter-day Saints, for whom
the Faith-Promoting Series is especially designed, I will relate
some incidents from my experience. I will commence by giv-
ing a short account of some events of my childhood and youth.
I spent the first years of my life under the influence of
what history has called the "Blue Laws" of Connecticut.
No man, boy or child of any age was permitted to play
or do any work from sunset Saturday night until Sunday night.
After sunset on Sunday evening, men might work, and boys
might jump, shout and play as much as they pleased.
Our parents were very strict with us on Saturday night,
and all day Sunday we had to sit very still and say over the
Presbyterian catechism and some passages in the Bible.
The people of Connecticut in those days thought it wicked
to believe in any religion, or belong to any church, except the
Presbyterian. They did not believe in having any prophets,
apostles, or revelations, as they had in the days of Jesus, and
as we now have in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
2 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
There was an aged man in Connecticut, however, by the
name of Robert Mason, who did not believe like the rest of
the people. He believed it was necessary to have prophets,
apostles, dreams, visions and revelations in the church of Christ,
the same as they had who lived in ancient days; and he believed
the Lord would raise up a people and a church, in the last days,
with prophets, apostles, and all the gifts, powers and blessings,
which it ever contained in any age of the world.
The people called this man, the Old Prophet Mason.
He frequently came to my father's house when I was a boy,
and taught me and my brothers those principles; and I believed
him.
This prophet prayed a great deal, and he had dreams and
visions, and the Lord showed him many things, by visions, which
were to come to pass in the last days.
I will here relate one vision, which he related to me. The
last time I ever saw him, he said: "I was laboring in my feld
at mid- day when I was enwrapped in a vision. I was placed in
the midst of a vast forest of fruit trees: I was very hungry,
and walked a long way through the orchard, searching for fruit
to eat; but I could not find any in the whole orchard, and I wept
because I could find no fruit. While I stood gazing at the
orchard, and wondering why there was no fruit, the trees began
to fall to the ground upon every side of me, until there was not
one tree standing in the whole orchard; and while I was marvel-
ing at the scene, I saw young sprouts start up from the roots
of the trees which had fallen, and they opened into young, thrifty
trees before my eyes. They budded, blossomed, and bore fruit
until the trees were loaded with the finest fruit I ever beheld,
and I rejoiced to see so much fine fruit. I stepped up to a tree
and picked my hands full of fruit, and marveled at its beauty,
and as I was about to taste of it the vision closed, and I found
myself in the field in the same place I was at the commencement
of the vision.
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 3
"I then knelt upon the ground, and prayed unto the Lord,
and asked Him, in the name of Jesus Christ, to show me the
meaning of the vision. The Lord said unto me: 'This is the
interpretation of the vision: the great trees of the forest re-
presented the generation of men in which you live. There is no
church of Christ, or kingdom of God upon the earth in your
generation. There is no fruit of the church of Christ upon the
earth. There is no man ordained of God to administer in any
of the ordinances of the gospel of salvation upon the earth in
this day and generation. But, in the next generation, I the
Lord will set up my kingdom and my church upon the earth, and
the fruits of the kingdom and church of Christ, such as have
followed the prophets, apostles and saints in every dispensation,
shall again be found in all their fullness upon the earth. You
will live to see the day, and handle the fruit; but will never par-
take of it in the flesh.' "
When the old prophet had finished relating the vision and
interpretation, he said to me, calling me by my Christian name:
"I shall never partake of this fruit in the flesh; but you will,
and you will become a conspicuous actor in that kingdom. " He
then turned and left me. These were the last words he ever
spoke to me upcn the earth.
This was a very striking circumstance, as I had spent many
hours and days, during twenty years, with this old Father Mason,
and he had never named this vision to me before. But at the
beginning of this last conversation he told me that he felt im-
pelled by the Spirit of the Lord to relate it to me.
He had the vision about the year 1800, and he related it to
me in 1830— the same spring that the Church was organized.
This vision, with his other teachings to me, made a great
impression upon my mind, and I prayed a great deal to the Lord
to lead me by His Spirit, and prepare me for His church when
it did come.
In 1832, I left Connecticut, and traveled with my eldest
4 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
brother to Oswego County, New York; and in the winter of
1833, 1 saw, for the first time in my life, an Elder of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He preached in a school-
house near where I lived. I attended the meeting, and the Spirit
of the Lord bore record to me that what I heard was true. I
invited the Elder to my house, and next day I, with my eldest
brother, went down into the water and was baptized. We were
the first two baptized in Oswego County, New York.
When I was baptized I thought of what the old prophet had
said to me.
In the spring of 1834, I went to Kirtland, saw the Prophet
Joseph Smith, and went with him, and with more than two hun-
dred others in Zion's Camp, up to Missouri. When I arrived,
at my journey's end, I took the first opportunity and wrote a
long letter to Father Mason, and told him I had found the
church of Christ that he had told me about. I told him about
its organization and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon;
that the Church had Prophets, Apostles, and all the gifts and
blessings in it, and that the true fruit of the kingdom and
church of Christ were manifest among the Saints as the Lord
had shown him in the vision. He received my letter and read
it over many times, and handled it as he had handled the fruit
in the vision; but he was very aged, and soon died. He did not
live to see any Elder to administer the ordinances of the gospel
unto him.
The first opportunity I had, after the doctrine of baptism
for the dead was revealed, I went forth and was baptized for
him. He was a good man and a true prophet, for his prophecies
have been fulfilled.
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
CHAPTER II.
Preparing to go up to Zion— First Meeting with President Young-
Camp of Zion Starts— Numbers Magnified in the Eyes of Beholders
— Remarkable Deliverance — Selfishness and its Reward.
I arrived at Kirtland on the 25th of April, 1834, and for
the first time saw the Prophet Joseph Smith. He invited me
to his house. I spent about a week with him, and became ac-
quainted with him and his family, also with many of the Elders
and Saints living in Kirtland, quite a number of whom were
preparing to go up to Zion.
On Sunday, the 27th of April, I attended a meeting in a
schoolhouse in Kirtland, and for the first time heard Elders
Sidney Rigdon, Orson Hyde, Orson Pratt and others speak and
bear testimony to the work of God, and much of the Spirit of
God was poured out upon the Saints.
It was the 26th of April, 1834, that I was first introduced
to Elders Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball. When I met
Brother Brigham, he had his hands full of butcher knives; he
gave me one, and told me to go and put a good handle on it,
which I did. I also had a good sword, which Brother Joseph
wanted, and I gave it to him. He carried it all the way in
Zion's camp to Missouri, and when he returned home he gave it
back to me.
When I was called to go on a mission to the South I left
the sword and knife with Lyman Wight. When he was taken
prisoner at Far West, with Joseph and Hyrum, he had both the
sword and knife with him. All their weapons were taken from
them, so were the arms of many of the Saints at Far West,
under promise that they should be returned to them when they
were prepared to leave the State. When the brethren went to
get their arms, Father James Allred saw my sword, which Ly-
man Wight had laid down, and took it and left his own, and
afterwards gave it to me and I still have it. I prize it because
6 LEAVES PROM MY JOURNAL.
the Prophet Joseph carried it in Zion's Camp. The knife I never
regained.
The first day of May, 1834, was appointed for the Camp of
Zion to start from Kirtland to go up to Missouri for the re-
demption of their brethren. Only a small portion of the Camp
was ready. The Prophet told those who were ready, to go to
New Portage and wait for the remainder. I left, in company
with about twenty men, with the baggage wagons. At night
we pitched our tents. I went to the top of the hill and looked
down upon the camp of Israel. I knelt upon the ground and
prayed. I rejoiced and praised the Lord that I had lived to
see some of the tents of Israel pitched, and a company gathered
by the commandment of God to go up and help redeem Zion.
We tarried at New Portage until the 6th, when we were
joined by the Prophet and eighty-five more men. The day be-
fore they arrived, while passing through the village of Middle-
bury, the people tried to count them; but the Lord multiplied
them in the eyes of the people, so that those who numbered
them said 1 here were four hundred of them.
On the 7th, Brother Joseph organized the camp, which
consisted of about one hundred and thirty men. On the follow-
ing day we continued our journey. We pitched our tents at
night and had prayers night and morning. The Prophet told
us every day what we should do.
We were nearly all young men, gathered from all parts of
the country, and strangers to each other; but we got acquainted
very soon, and had a happy time together.
It was a great school for us to be led by a Prophet of God
a thousand miles, through cities, towns, villages, and through
the wilderness.
When persons stood by to count us they could not tell
how many we numbered; some said five hundred, others one
thousand.
Many were astonished as we passed through their towns.
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 7
One lady ran to her door, pushed her spectacles to the top of
her head, raised her hands, and exclaimed: "What under heav-
ens has broken loose?" She stood in that position the last I
saw of her. «•
The published history of Zion's Camp gives an account of
the bones of a man which we dug out of a mound. His name
was Zelph. The Lord showed the Prophet the history of the
man in a vision. The arrow, by which he was killed, was found
among his bones. One of his thigh bones was broken by a
stone slung in battle. The bone was put into my wagon, and I
carried it to Clay County, Missouri, and buried it in the earth.
The Lord delivered Israel in the days of Moses by dividing
the Red Sea, so they went over dry shod. When their enemies
tried to do the same, the water closed upon them and they were
drowned. The Lord delivered Zion's Camp from their enemies
on the 19th of June, 1834, by piling up the waters in Fishing
River forty feet in one night, so our enemies could not cross.
He also sent a great hail- storm which broke them up and sent
them seeking for shelter.
The camp of Zion arrived at Brother Burk's, in Clay County,
Missouri, on the 24th of June, 1834, and we pitched our tents
on the premises. He told some of the brethren of my company
that he had a spare room that some of us might occupy if we
would clean it. Our company accepted the offer, and, fearing
some other company would get it first, left all ether business
and went to work, cleaning out the room, and immediately
spread down our blankets, so as to hold a right to the room.
It was but a short time afterwards that our brethren, who were
attacked by cholera, were brought in and laid upon our beds.
None of us ever used those blankets again, for they were buried
with the dead. So we gained nothing but experience by being
selfish, and we lost our bedding.
I will exhort all my young friends to not cherish selfish-
ness; but if you have any, get rid of it as soon as possible. Be
8 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
generous and noble-hearted, kind to your parents, brothers,
sisters and play-mates. Never contend with them; but try to
make peace whenever you can. Whenever you are blessed with
any good thing, be willing to share it with others. By cultivat-
ing these principles while you are young, you will lay a founda-
tion to do much good through your lives, and you will be beloved
and respected of the Lord and all good men.
CHAPTER III.
Advised to Remain in Missouri — A Desire to Preach — Pray to the
Lord for a Mission — Prayer Answered — Sent on a Mission to Ar-
kansas— Dangerous Journey through Jackson County — Living on
Raw Corn, and Sleeping on the Ground — My First Sermon — Refused
Food and Shelter by a Presbyterian Preacher — Wander through
Swamps — Entertained by Indians.
After Joseph, the Prophet, had ledZion's Camp to Missouri,
and we had passed through all the trials of that journey, and
had buried a number of our brethren, as recorded in history,
the Prophet called the Camp together, and organized the Church
in Zion, and gave much good counsel to all.
He advised all the young men, who had no families, to stay
in Missouri and not return to Kirtland. Not having any family,
I stopped with Lyman Wight, as did Milton Holmes and Heman
Hyde. We spent the summer together, laboring hard, cutting
wheat, quarrying rock, making brick, or anything else we could
find to do.
In the fall I had a desire to go and preach the gospel. I
knew the gospel which the Lord had revealed to Joseph Smith
was true, and of such great value that I wanted to tell it to
the people who had not heard it. It was so good and plain, it
seemed to me I could make the people believe it.
I was but a Teacher, and it is not a 'Teacher's office to go
abroad and preach. I dared rot tell any of the authorities of
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 9
the Church that I wanted to preach, lest they might think I was
seeking for an office.
I went into the woods where no one could see me, and I
prayed to the Lord to open my way so that I could go and
preach the gospel. While I was praying the Spirit of the Lord
came upon me, and told me my prayer was heard and that my
request should be granted.
I felt very happy, and got up and walked out of the woods
into the traveled road, and there I met a High Priest who had
lived in the same house with me some six months.
He had not said a word to me about preaching the gospel;
but now, as soon as I met him, he said, "The Lord has revealed
to me that it is your privilege to be ordained, and to go and
preach the gospel."
I told him I was willing to do whatever the Lord required
of me. I did not tell him I had just asked the Lord to let me
go and preach.
In a few days a council was called at Lyman Wight's, and I
was ordained a Priest and s"ent on a mission into Arkansas and
Tennessee, in company with an Elder. This mission was given
us by Elder Edward Partridge, who was the first Bishop ordain-
ed in the Church.
The law of God to us in those days was to go without purse
or scrip. Our journey lay through Jackson County, from which
the Saints had just been driven, and it was dangerous for a
"Mormon" to be found in that part of the State.
We put some Books of Mormon and some clothing into our
valises, strapped them on our backs, and started on foot. We
crossed the ferry into Jackson County, and went through it.
In some instances the Lord preserved us, as it were by
miracle, from the mob.
We dared not go to houses and get food, so we picked and
ate raw corn, and slept on the ground, and did any way we
could until we got out of the county.
10 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
We dared not preach while in that county, and we did but
little preaching in the State of Missouri. The first time I at-
tempted to preach was on Sunday, in a tavern, in the early part
of December, 1834. It was snowing at the time, and the room
was full of people. As I commenced to speak the landlord
opened the door, and the snow blew on the people; and when I
inquired the object of having the door opened in a snowstorm,
he informed me that he wanted some light on the subject. I
found that it was the custom of the country.
How much good 1 did in that sermon I never knew, and
probably never shall know until I meet that congregation in
judgment.
In the southern portion of Missouri and the northern part
of Arkansas, in 1834, there were but very few inhabitants.
We visited a place called Harmony Mission, on the Osage
river, one of the most crooked rivers in the west. This mission
was kept by a Presbyterian minister and his family.
We arrived there on Sunday night at sunset. We had
walked all day with nothing to eat, and were very hungry and
tired. Neither the minister nor his wife would give us anything
to eat, nor let us stay over night, because we were "Mormons,"
and the only chance we had was to go twelve miles farther
down the river, to an Osage Indian trading-post, kept by a
Frenchman named Jereu. And this wicked priest, who would
not give us a piece of bread, lied to us about the road, and sent
us across the swamp, and we wallowed knee deep in mud and
water till ten o'clock at night in trying to follow this crooked
river. We then left the swamp, and put out into the prairie,
to lie in the grass for the night.
When we came out of the swamp, we heard an Indian
drumming on a tin pail and singing. It was very dark, but we
traveled towards the noise, and when we drew near the Indian
camp quite a number of large Indian dogs came out to meet us.
I hey smelt us, but did not bark nor bite.
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 11
We were soon surrounded by Osage Indians, and kindly re-
ceived by Mr. Jereu and his wife, who was an Indian. She gave
us an excellent supper and a good bed, which we were thankful
for after the fatigue of the day.
As I laid my head on my pillow I felt to thank God, from
the bottom of my heart, for the exchange of the barbarous
treatment of a civilized Presbyterian priest, for the humane,
kind and generous treatment of the savage Osage Indians.
May God reward them both according to their deserts.
CHAPTER IV.
A Journey of Sixty Miles Without Food — Confronted by a Bear-
Pass by Unharmed — Surrounded by Wolves — Lost in the Darkness
— Reach a Cabin — Its Inmates — No Supper — Sleep on the Floor —
The Hardest Day's Work of my Life — Twelve Miles More Without
Breakfast — Breakfast and Abuse Together.
We arose in the morning, after a good night's rest. I was
somewhat lame, from wading in the swamp the night before.
We had a good breakfast. Mr. Jereu sent an Indian to see us
across the river, and informed us that it was sixty miles to the
nearest settlement of either white or red men.
We were too bashful to ask for anything to take with us
to eat; so we crossed the river and started on our day's journey
of sixty miles without a morsel of food of any kind. What
for? To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, to save this gen-
eration.
Think of this, children; think of what the Presidency, the
Apostles, and the Elders of this Church have passed through to
give you the homes and comforts you now enjoy.
Think of this, ye statesmen and judges of this American
nation; ye who are now seeking to destroy God's people in the
wilderness, who have gone hungry and naked and have labored
12 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
for fifty years to save this nation and generation. Cease your
exertions to destroy this people, or God will bring you to judg-
ment and destroy your nation, and cast you into outer darkness,
where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth; for the
Lord God has spoken it. I must pause; I almost forgot I was
writing a narrative.
We started about sunrise and crossed a thirty-mile prairie,
apparently as level as a house floor, without shrub or water.
We arrived at timber about two o'clock in the afternoon. As
we approached the timber a large black bear came out towards
us. We were not afraid of him, for we were on the Lord's
business, and had not mocked God's prophets as did the forty-
two wicked children who said to Elisha "Go up thou bald head,"
for which they were torn by bears.
When the bear got within eight rods of us he sat on his
haunches and looked at U3 a moment, and then ran away; and
we went on our way rejoicing. We had to travel in the night,
which was cloudy and very dark, so we had great difficulty to
keep the road. Soon a large drove of wolves gathered around*
and followed us. They came very close, and at times it seemed
as though they would eat us up.
We had materials for striking a light, and at ten o'clock,
not knowing where we were, and the wolves becoming so bold,
we thought it wisdom to make afire; so we stepped and gathered
a lot of oak limbs that lay on the ground, and lit them, and
as our. fire began to burn the wolves left us.
As we were about to lay down on the ground — for we had
no blankets — we heard a dog bark.
My companion said it was a wolf; I said it was a dog: but
soon we heard a cow bell. Then we each took a firebrand and
went about a quarter of a mile, and found the house, which was
sixty miles from where we started that morning.
It was an old log cabin, about twelve feet square, with no
door, but an old blanket was hung up in the door-way. There
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 13
was no furniture except one bedstead, upon which lay a woman,
several children and several small dogs. A man lay on the bare
floor with his feet to the fire-place, and all were asleep. I went
in and spoke to the man, but did not wake him. I stepped to
him, and laid my hand on his shoulder. The moment he felt the
weight of my hand he jumped to his feet, and ran around the
room as though he was frightened; but he was quieted when we
informed him we were friends.
The cause of his fright was, he had shot a panther a few
nights before, and he thought its mate had jumped upon him.
He asked us what we wanted; we told him we wished to
stop with him all night, and would like something to eat. He
informed us we might lay on the floor as he did, but that he
had not a mouthful for us to eat, as he had to depend on his
gun to get breakfast for his family in the morning. So we lay
on the bare floor, and slept through a long, rainy night, which
was pretty hard after walking sixty miles without anything to
eat. That was the hardest day's work of my life.
The man's name was Williams. He was in the mob in Jack-
son County; and after the Saints were driven out, he, with many
others, went south.
We got up in the morning and walked in the rain twelve
miles to the house of a man named Bemon, who was also one of
the mob from Jackson County. They were about sitting down
to breakfast as we came in.
In those days it was the custom of the Missourians to ask
you to eat even if they intended to cut your throat as soon as
you got through; so he asked us to take breakfast, and we were
very glad of the invitation.
He knew we were "Mormons;" and as soon as we began to
eat he began to swear about the "Mormons." He had a large
platter of bacon and eggs, and plenty of bread on the table, and
his swearing did not hinder our eating, for the harder he swore
the harder we ate, until we got our stomachs full; then we arose
14 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
from the table, took our hats, thanked him for our breakfast,
and the last we heard of him he was still swearing.
I trust the Lord will reward him for our breakfast.
CHAPTER V.
Our Anxiety to Meet a Saint — Journey to Akeman's — A Dream — Find
Mr. Akeman a Rank Apostate — He Raises a Mob* — Threatened with
Tar, Feathers, etc. — I Warn Mr. Akeman to Repent — He Falls Dead
at my Feet — I Preach his Funeral Sermon.
In the early days of the Church, it was a great treat to an
Elder in his travels through the country to find a "Mormon;" it
was so with us. We were hardly in Arkansas when we heard of
a family named Akeman. They were in Jackson County in the
persecutions. Some of the sons had been tied up there and
whipped on their bare backs with hickory switches by the mob.
We heard of their living on Petit Jean River, in the Arkansas
Territory, and we went a long way to visit them.
There had recently been heavy rains, and a creek that we
had to cross was swollen to a rapid stream of eight rods in
width. There was no person living nearer than two miles from
the crossing, and no boat. The people living at the last house
on the road, some three miles from the crossing, said we would
have to tarry till the water fell before we could cross. We did
not stop, leeling to trust in God.
Just as we arrived at the rolling flood a negro, on a power-
ful horse, entered the stream on the opposite side and rode
through it. On our making our wants known to him, he took
us, one at a time, behind him and carried us safely over, and
we went on our way rejoicing.
We arrived that night within five miles of Mr. Akeman's,
and were kindly entertained by a stranger. During the night
I had the following dream:
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 15
I thought an angel came to us, and told us we were com-
manded of the Lord to follow a certain straight path, which
was pointed out to us, let it lead us wherever it might. After
we had walked in it awhile we came to the door of a house,
which was in the line of a high wall running north and south,
so that we could not go around. I opened the door and saw
the room was filled with large serpents, and I shuddered at the
sight. My companion said he would not go into the room for
fear of the serpents. I told him I should try to go through the
room though they killed me, for the Lord had commanded it.
As I stepped into the room the serpents coiled themselves up,
and raised their heads some two feet from the floor, to spring
at me. There was one much larger than the rest in the center
of the room, which raised his head nearly as high as mine and
made a spring at me. At that instant I felt as though nothing
but the power of God could save me, ardl stood still. Just be-
fore the serpent reached me he dropped dead at my feet; all the
rest dropped dead, swelled up, turned black, burst open, took
fire and were consumed before my eyes, and we went through
the room unharmed, and thanked God for our deliverance.
I awoke in the morning and pondered upon the dream. We
took breakfast, and started on our journey on Sunday morning,
to visit Mr. Akeman. I related to my companion my dream,
and told him we should see something strange. We had
great anticipations of meeting Mr. Akeman, supposing him to
be a member of the Church. When we arrived at his house he
received us very coldly, and we soon found that he had aposta-
tized. He brought railing accusations against the Book of Mor-
mon and the authorities of the Church.
Word was sent through all the settlements on the river for
twenty miles that two "Mormon" preachers were in the place.
A mob was soon raised, and warning sent to us to leave im-
mediately or we would be tarred and feathered, ridden on a rail
and hanged. I soon saw where the serpents were. My com-
16 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
panion wanted to leave; I told him no, I would stay and see my
dream fulfilled.
There was an old gentleman and lady, named Hubbel, who
had read the Book of Mormor. and believed. Father Hubbel
came to see us, and invited us to make our home with him while
we stayed in the place. We did so, and labored for him some
three weeks with our axes, clearing land, while we were waiting
to see the salvation of God.
I was commanded of the Lord by the Holy Ghost to go and
warn Mr. Akeman to repent of his wickedness. I did so, and
each time he railed against me, and the last time he ordered me
out of his house. When I went out he followed me, and was
very angry. When he came up to me, about eight rods from
the house, he fell dead at my feet, turned black and swelled up,
as I saw the serpents do in my dream.
His family, as well as ourselves, felt it was the judgment
of God upon him. I preached his funeral sermon. Many of the
mob died suddenly. We stayed about two weeks after Akeman's
death and preached, baptized Mr. Hubbel and his wife, and then
continued on our journey.
CHAPTER VI.
Make a Canoe— Voyage Down the Arkansas River— Sleep in a
Deserted Tavern — One Hundred and Seventy Miles Through
Swamps— Forty Miles a Day in Mud Knee-deep — A Sudden Lame-
ness— Left Alone in an Alligator Swamp— Healed in Answer to
Prayer — Arrival at Memphis — An Odd-looking Preacher — Com-
pelled to Preach — Powerful Aid from the Spirit— Not what the
Audience Expected.
We concluded to go down Arkansas river and cross into
Tennessee. We could not get passage on the boat, because of
the low water, so we went on the bank of the river and cut
down a sound cottonwood tree, three feet through, and cut off
a twelve-foot length from the but end; and in two days we dug
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 17
out a canoe. We made a pair of oars and a rudder, and on
the 11th of March, 1835, we launched our canoe, and com-
menced our voyage down the Arkansas river, without pro-
visions.
The first day we sailed t verity-five miles, and stopped at
night with a poor family who lived on the bank of the river.
These kind folks gave us supper and breakfast, and, in the
morning, gave us a johnny-cake and piece of pork to take with
us on our journey.
We traveled about fifty miles that day, and at night stopped
in a village called Cadron, at an old tavern, which was deserted
because it was believed to be haunted by evil spirits
We made a 'fire in the tavern roasted a piece of our pork,
ate our supper, said our prayers, went into a chamber, lay
down on the bare floor, and were soon asleep.
I dreamed I was at my father's house in a good feather
bed, and I had a good night's rest. When I awoke the bed
vanished, and I found myself on the bare floor and well rested,
not having been troubled with evil spirits or anything else.
We thanked the Lord for his goodness to us, ate the
remainder of our provisions and contiaued our journey down the
river to Little Rock, the capital of Arkansas, which then con-
sisted of only a few cabins.
After visiting the place, we crossed the river and tied up
our canoe, which had carried us safely one hundred and fifty
miles.
We then took the old military road, leading from Little
Rock to Memphis, Tennessee. This road lay through swamps,
and was covered with mud and water most of the way, for one
hundred and seventy miles. We walked forty miles a day
through mud and water knee deep.
On the 24th of March, after traveling some ten miles
through mud, I was taken lame with a sharp pain in my knee. I
sat down on a log.
18 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
My companion, who was anxious to get to his home in
Kirtland, left me sitting in an alligator swamp. I did not see
him again for two years. I knelt down in the mud and prayed,
and the Lord healed me, and I went on my way rejoicing.
On the 27th of March, I arrived at Memphis, weary and
hungry. I went to the best tavern in the place, kept by Mr.
Josiah Jackson. I told him I was a stranger, and had no
money. I asked him if he would keep me over night.
He inquired of me what my business was.
I told him I was a preacher of the gospel.
He laughed and said that I did not look much like a
preacher.
I did not blame him, as all the preachers he had ever been
acquainted with rode on fine horses or in fine carriages, clothed
in broadcloth, and had large salaries, and would see this whole
world sink to perdition before they would wade through one
hundred and seventy miles of mud to save the people.
The landlord wanted a little fun, so he said he would keep
me if I would preach. He wanted to see if I could preach.
I must confess that by this time I became a little mis-
chievous, and pleaded with him not to set me preaching.
The more I plead to be excused, the more determined Mr.
Jackson was that I should preach. He took my valise, and the
landlady got me a good supper.
I sat down in a large hall to eat supper. Before I got
through, the room began to be filled with some of the rich and
fashionable of Memphis, dressed in their broadcloth and silk,
while my appearance was such as you can imagine, after trav-
eling through the mud as I had been.
When I had finished eating, the table was carried out of the
room over the heads of the people. I was placed in the corner
of the room, with a stand having a Bible, hymn book and can-
dle on it, hemmed in by a dozen men, with the landlord in the
center.
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 19
There were present some five hundred persons who had
come together, not to hear a good sermon, but to have some
fun.
Now boys, how would you like this position? On your first
mission, without a companion or friend, and to be called upon
to preach to such a congregation! With me it was one of the
m^st pleasing hours of my life, although I felt as though I
should like company.
I read a hymn, and asked them to sing. Not a soul would
sing a word.
I told them I had not the gift of singing; but with the
help of the Lord I would both pray and preach. I knelt down
to pray, and the men around me dropped on their knees. I
prayed to the Lord to give me His spirit and to show me the hearts
of the people. I promised the Lord in my prayer I would deliver
to that congregation whatever He would give to me. I arose
and ppoke one hour and a half and it was one of the best ser-
mons of my life.
The lives of the congregation were opened to the vision
of my mind, and I told them of their wicked deeds and the
reward they would obtain. The men who surrounded me
dropped their heads. Three minutes after I closed I was the
only person in the room.
Soon I was shown to a bed, in a room adjoining a large one
in which were assembled many of the men whom I had been
preaching to. I could hear their conversation.
One man said he would like to know how that ''Mormon"
boy knew of their past lives.
In a little while they got to disputing about some doctrinal
point. One suggested calling me to decide the point. The
landlord said "No; we have had enough for once."
In the morning I had a good breakfast. The landlord
said if I came that way again to stop at his house, and stay as
long as I might choose.
20 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
CHAPTER VII.
Curious Worship — Meet Elder Parrish — Labor Together in Tennessee
— Adventure in Bloody River — A Night of Peril — Providential
Light — Menaced by a Mob— Good Advice of a Baptist Preacher —
Summary of my Labors During the Year.
After leaving Memphis, I traveled through the country to
Bsnton County and preached on the way as I had opportunity.
I stopped one night with an Esquire Hardman, an Episco-
palian.
Most of the night was spent by the family in music and
dancing.
In the morning, at the breakfast table Mr. Hardman asked
me if we believed in music and dancing.
I told him we did not really consider them essential to sal-
vation.
He said he did and therefore should not join our Church.
On the 4th of April, 1835, I had the happy privilege of
meeting Elder Warren Parrish at the house of Brother Frys.
He had been preaching in that part of Tennessee, in company
with David W. Patten, and had baptized a number and organ-
ized several small branches.
Brother Patten had returned home, and Brother Parrish
was laboring alone. I joined him in the ministry, and we
labored together three months and nineteen days, when he was
called to Kirtland.
During the time we were together, we traveled through
several counties in Tennessee for the distance of seven hun-
dred and sixty miles, and preached the gospel daily as we had
the opportunity. We baptized some twenty persons.
By the counsel of the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver
Cowdery, Elder Parrish ordained me an Elder, and left me to
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 21
take charge of the branches that had been raised up in that
neighborhood.
As soon as I was left alone, I extended my circuit and
labors. For a season I had large congregations; many seemed
to believe, and I baptized a number.
On the 15th of August I had an appointment at the house
of Brother Taylor, the step-father of Abraham 0. Smoot.
I had to cross Bloody River, which I had to swim in conse-
quence of heavy rains. While crossing, my horse became en-
tangled in a tree top, and almost drowned; but T succeeded in
getting him loose.
We swam to the shore separately. He reached the shore
first, and waited till I came out. I got into the saddle, and
went on my way in good spirits, and had a good meeting.
On the 20th of October I baptized three Cambellites, one
of whom was a deacon. I then rode twelve miles to Mr. Green-
wood's, who was eighty years old, and had been a soldier under
General Washington. His wife, who was ninety-three years old,
I found quite smart, and busy carding wool. I preached at
their house, and baptized both of them.
On the following day I preached at the house of Benjamin
L. Clapp and baptized seven Cambellites and one Baptist.
On the 16th of November I preached at Brother Camp's
and baptized three. On the day following, it being Sunday, I
preached again at Brother Clapp's and baptized five. At the
close of the meeting I mounted my horse to ride to Clark's
River, in company with Seth Utley, four other brethren and
two sisters. The distance was twenty miles. .
We came to a stream which was so swollen by rains, that
we could not cross without swimming our horses. To swim
would not be safe for the females, so we went up the stream
to find a ford. In the attempt we were overtaken by a severe
storm of wind and rain, and lost our way in the darkness, and
wandered through creeks and mud. But the Lord does not
22 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
forsake His Saints in any of their troubles. While we were in
the woods suffering under the blast of the storm, groping like
the blind for the wall, a bright light suddenly shone around us
and revealed to us our dangerous situation on the edge of a
gulf. The light continued with us until we found the road; we
then went on our way rejoicing, though the darkness returned
and the rain continued.
We reached Brother Henry Thomas' in safety about nine
o'clock at night, having been five hours in the storm and forded
streams many times. None of us felt to complain, but were
thankful to God for His preserving care.
On the following day I preached in Damon Creek and
organized a branch called the Damon Creek Branch, and
ordained Daniel Thomas a teacher.
On the 19th of December I again preached at the house
of Brother Clapp, and baptized five persons: one was a Camp-
bellite preacher.
On the following day I preached at the house of Brother
Henry Thomas, when a mob of about fifty persons collected,
headed by a Baptist preacher, who, after asking one question,
advised the mob to not lay hands on any man on account of his
principles.
The advise was good and well taken.
At the close of the meeting I baptized three persons, one
seventy-eight years old.
This brings the year 1835 to a close — the first year of my
mission, during which time I had traveled three thousand two
hundred and forty eight miles, held one hundred and seventy
meetings, bsptized forty-three persons — three of whom were
Campbellite preachers — assisted Elder Parrish to baptize
twenty more, confirmed thirty-five, organized three branches,
ordained two Teachers and one Deacon, procured thirty sub-
scribers for the Messenger and Advocate, one hundred and
seventy-three signers to the petitition to the governor of Mis-
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 23
souri for redress of wrongs done the Saints in Jackson County,
had three mobs rise against me — but was not harmed, wrote
eighteen letters, received ten, and finally closed the labors of
the year 1835 by eating johnny-cake, butter and honey at
Brother A. 0. Smoot's.
CHAPTER VIII.
Studying Grammar— Meet Elder Patten— Glorious News — Labor with
A. 0. Smoot — Turned Out of a Meeting House by a Baptist
Preacher — Preach in the Open Air — Good Result — Adventure on
the Tennessee River— A Novel Charge to Arrest and Condemn Men
Upon— Mob Poison our Horses.
I spent the fore part of January, 1836, (the weather being
very cold) at the house of A. 0. Smoot, in Kentucky, studying
Kirkham's English Grammar. I continued to travel and preach
in Kentucky and Tennessee and baptized all that would believe
my testimony.
On the 26th of February we held a conference at the
house of Brother Lewis Clapp, (father or B. L. Clapp). There
were represented one hundred and three members in that mis-
sion. I ordained A. 0. Smoot and Benjamin Boyston, Elders,
and Daniel Thomas and Benjamin L. Clapp, Priests. I also
ordained one Teacher and two Deacons.
After conference I took Brothers Smoot and Clapp with me
to preach. The former traveled with me constantly till the
21st of April, when we had the privilege of meeting with Elder
David W. Patten, who had come direct from Kirtland, and who
had been ordained one of the Twelve Apostles.
It was a happy meeting. He gave us an account of the
endowments at Kirtland, the glorious blessings received, the
ministration of angels, the organization of the Twelve Apostles
and Seventies, and informed me that I was appointed a member
24 LEAVES PROM MY JOURNAL.
of the second quorum of Seventies. All of this was glorious
news to me, and caused my heart to rejoice.
On the 27th of May we were joined by Elder Warren
Parrish, direct from Kirtland. We had a happy time together.
On the 28th, we held a conference at Brother Seth Utley's,
where were represented all the branches of the Church in the
South.
I was ordained on the 31st of May a member of the second
quorum of Seventies under the hands of David W. Patten and
Warren Parrish.
At the close of the conference we separated for a short
time. Elders Patten and Parrish labored in Tennessee, Brother
Smoot and myself in Kentucky. On the 9th of June we all met
at Damon Creek branch, where Brother Patten baptized two.
One was Father Henry Thomas, who had been a revolutionary
soldier under General Washington, and father of Daniel and
Henry Thomas.
A warrant was issued, on the oath of a priest, against D.
W. Patten, W. Parrish and myself. We were accused in the
warrant of the great "crime" of testifying that Christ would
come in this generation, and that we promised the Holy Ghost
to those whom we baptized. Brothers Patten and Parrish were
taken on the 19th of June. I being in another county, escaped
being arrested- The brethren were put under two thousand
dollars bonds to appear at court. Albert Petty and Seth Utley
were their bondsmen. They were tried on the 22nd of June.
They pleaded their own cause. Although men came forward
and testified they did receive the Holy Ghost after they were
baptized, the brethren were condemned; but were finally
released by paying the expense of the mob court.
There was one peculiar circumstance connected with this
trial by a mob court, which was armed to the teeth. When the
trial was through with, the people were not willing to permit
more than one to speak. Warren Parrish had said but few
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 25
words, and they were not willing to let David Patten speak.
But he, feeling the injustice of the court, and being filled with
the power of God, arose to his feet and delivered a speech of
about twenty minutes, holding them spell-bound while he told
them of their wickedness and the abominations that they were
guilty of, also of the curse of God that awaited them, if they
did not repent, for taking up two harmless, inoffensive men for
preaching the gospel of Christ.
When he had got through his speech the judge said, "You
must be armed with secret weapons, or you would not talk in
this fearless manner to an armed court.''
Brother Patten replied :"I have weapons that you know not
of, and they are given me of God, for He gives me all the power
I have."
The judge seemed willing to get rid of them almost upon
any terms, and offered to dismiss them if their friends would
pay the costs, which the brethren present freely offered to do.
When the two were released, they mounted their horses
and rode a mile to Seth Utley's; but as soon as they had left,
the court became ashamed that they had been let go so easy and
the whole mob mounted their horses to follow them to Utley's.
One of the Saints, seeing the state of affairs, went on
before the mob to warn the brethren, so that they had time to
ride into the woods near by.
They traveled along about three miles to Brother Albert
Petty 's, and went to bed. The nignt was dark, and they went
to sleep.
But Brother Patten was warned in a dream to get up and
flee, as the mob would soon be there. They both arose, saddled
their animals, and rode into the adjoining county.
The house they had just left was soon surrounded by the
mob, but the brethren had escaped through the mercy of
God.
I was invited to hold a meeting at a Baptist meeting-
26 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
house, on the'27th of June. On my arrival I met a large congre-
gation; but, on commencing meeting, Parson Browning ordered
the meeting to be closed. I told the people I had come ten
miles to preach the gospel to them, and was willing to stand in
a cart, on a pile of wood, on a fence, or any other place they
would appoint, to have that privilege.
One man said he owned the fence and land in front of the
meeting house, and we might use both, for he did not believe
"Mormonism" would hurt either.
So the congregation crossed the road, took down the fence
and made seats of it, and I preached to them one hour and a
half. At the close Mr. Randolph Alexander bore testimony to
the truth of what had been said. He invited me home with
him, bought a Book of Mormon, and was baptized, and I organ-
ized a branch in that place.
On the 18th of July, Brother A. 0. Smoot and I arrived at
a ferry on the Tennessee River, and, as the ferryman was not at
home, the woman kindly gave us permission to use the ferry-
boat. We led our horses on board, and took the oars to cross
the river. Brother Smoot had never used an oar, and I had not
for some years, so we made awkward work of it. Soon he
broke one oar, and I let another fall overboard, which left us
only one broken oar to -get to shore with. We narrowly
escaped running into a steamboat. We struck shore half a
mile below the landing place, tied up the boat, jumped on the
bank with our horses, and went on our way with blistered
hands, thankful to get off so well.
On Sunday, the 31st of July, A. 0. Smoot and I preached
at Mr. David Crider's, Weakly County, Tennessee. After the
meeting Mr. Crider was baptized. A mob gathered and threat-
ened us, and poisoned our horses so that the one I rode, belong-
ing to Samuel West, died a few days after. This horse had
carried me thousands of miles while preaching the gospel.
I continued to travel with Brothers Smoot, Patten and
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 27
Parrish in Tennessee and Kentucky, and we baptized all who
would receive our testimony.
On the second day of September we held a general confer-
ence at the Damon Creek Branch. Elder Thomas B. Marsh,
President of the Twelve Apostles presided. All the branches
in Tennessee and Kentucky were represented.
Brothers Randolph Alexander, Benjamin L. Clapp and
Johnson F. Lane were ordained Elders and Lindsay Bradey was
ordained to the lesser Priesthood.
I assisted President Marsh to obtain fifteen hundred dollars
from the Southern brethren, to enter land in Missouri for the
Church. The brethren made me a present of fifty dollars, which
I sent by President Marsh to enter forty acres of land for me.
Elder Smoot and I were released from the Southern mission with
permission to go to Kirtland.
CHAPTER IX.
Attending School — Marriage— Impressed to Take a Mission to Fox
Islands— Advised to Go — Journey to Canada— Cases of Healing —
Journey to Connecticut — My Birthplace — My Mother's Grave —
Baptize Some Relatives— Joined by my Wife — Journey on Foot to
Maine — Arrival at Fox Island.
Having returned from my Southern mission in the autumn
of 1836, in company with Elders A. 0. Smoot and Jesse Turpin,
I spent the following winter in Kirtland. During this time I
attended the school of Professor Haws, who taught Greek,
Latin and English grammar. I confined my studies mostly to
Latin and English grammar.
This winter and the following spring, in some respects,
may be regarded as one of the most interesting periods of the
history of the Church, when we consider the endowments and
teachings given in the temple, and the great apostasy which
followed.
28 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
I was married to Miss Phoebe Whitmore Carter, on the
13th of April, 1837, and received my patriarchal blessing under
the hands of Father Joseph Smith, the Patriarch, two days after.
I felt impressed by the Spirit of God to take a mission to
the Fox Islands, situated east of the Maine shore, a country I
knew nothing about. I made my feelings known to the Apos-
tles, and they advised me to go.
Feeling that it was my duty to go upon this mission, I did
not tarry at home one year after having married a wife, as the
law of Moses would have allowed. On the contrary, I started
just one month and one day after that important event, leaving
my wife with Sister Hale, with whom she expected to stay for
a season.
I left Kirtland in good spirits, in company with Elder
Jonathan H. Hale, and walked twelve miles to Fairport, where
we were joined by Elder Milton Holmes. There we went aboard
the steamer Sandusky, and made our way to Buffalo, and pro-
ceeded thence to Syracuse, by way of the Erie Canal. We then
walked to Richland, Oswego Co., N. Y., where I met my two
brothers, whom I had not seen for several years.
After spending one night there, we continued our journey
to Sackett's Harbor, and crossed Lake Ontario on the steamer
Oneida, to Kingston, Upper Canada, and from there also by
steamer along the canal to Jones' Falls, whence we walked to a
place called Bastard, Leeds County.
Here we found a branch of the Church, presided over by
John E. Page and James Blakesly. We accompanied them to
their place of meeting, and attended a conference with them,
at which three hundred members of the Church were repre-
sented.
Thirty-two persons presented themselves for ordination,
whom I was requested to ordain, in company with Elder Wm.
Draper. We ordained seven Elders, nine Priests, eleven Teach-
ers and five Deacons.
LEAVES PROM MY JOURNAL. 29
We spoke to the people several times during this confer-
ence, and at its close we were called upon to administer to a
woman who was possessed of the devil. At times she was
dumb, and greatly afflicted with the evil spirits that dwelt in
her. She believed in Jesus and in us as His servants, and wished
us to administer to her. Four of us laid our hands upon her
head and commanded the devil, in the name of Jesus Christ, to
depart out of her. It was immediately done, and the woman
arose with great joy, and gave thanks and praise unto God; for,
according to her faith, she was made whole from that hour.
A child, also, that was sick, was healed by the laying on
of hands, according to the word of God.
We walked thirty miles to visit another branch of the
Saints at Leeds, where we met with John Gordon and John
Snider. Here we held a meeting and bore our testimony to the
people.
A Sister Cams here came to us and requested to have the
ordinance for the healing of the sick performed for two of her
children who were afflicted. One was a suckling child, which
was lying at the point of death. I took it in my arms and pre-
sented it before the Elders, who laid their hands upon it, and
it was made whole immediately, and I handed it back to the
mother entirely healed.
We afterwards laid hands upon the other, when it was also
healed. It was done by the power of God, in the name of Jesus
Christ, and the parents praised God for His goodness.
After leaving the Saints in this place, we returned to
Kingston, and crossed Lake Ontario in company with Isaac
Russell, John Goodson and John Snider.
Brother Russell seemed to be constantly troubled with evil
spirits, which followed him when he subsequently went upon
a mission to England, where Apostles Orson Hyde and Heber C.
Kimball, when acfministering to him, had a severe contest with
them, as Brother Kimball has related in his history.
30 LEAVES PROM MY JOURNAL.
Brothers Russell, Goodson and Snider continued with us to
Schenectady, where they left us to proceed to New York, to
join Elders Kimball and Hyde to go upon their mission to Eng-
land.
After leaving these brethren we traveled by rail to Albany,
and walked from there to Canaan, Conn., where we found a
branch of the Church, including Jesse and Julian Moses and
Francis K. Benedict.
We held a two-days' meeting with the Saints in Canaan,
and I ordained Julian Moses and Francis K. Benedict Elders.
After holdiDg several meetings in the town of Colebrook,
and visiting my half sister, Eunice Woodruff, who was teaching
school there, I proceeded to Avon, the place of my birth. There
I visited many of my former neighbors and relatives, and the
grave of my mother, Bulah Woodruff, who died June 11th, 1808,
when twenty- six years of age. The following verse was upon
her tombstone:
"A pleasing form, a generous heart,
A good companion, just without art;
Just in her dealings, faithful to her friend,
Beloved through life, lamented in the end."
At the close of the day I walked six miles to Farmington,
where my father, Aphek Woodruff, was living, and I had the
happy privilege of once more meeting with him and my step-
mother, whom I had not seen for seven years. They greeted
me with great kindness, and it was a happy meeting.
After visiting with my father a day or two, I returned to
Avon, where most of my relatives lived, and held meetings with
them, and on the 12 th of June, 1837, I baptized my uncle, Ozem
Woodruff, his wife Hannah, and his son John, and we rejoiced
together, for this was in fulfillment of a dream I had in 1818,
when I was eleven years of age.
On the 15th of July I had an appointment to preach at the
LEAVES PROM MY JOURNAL. 3l
house of my uncle, Adna Hart. While there I had the happy
privilege of meeting with my wife, Phoebe W. Woodruff, who
had come from Kirtland to meet me and accompany me to her
father's home in Scarboro, Maine.
Those who had assembled to hear me preach were rela-
tives, neighbors and former friends. After meeting we returned
to Parmington to my father's home, where I spent the night
with my father, step- mother, sister and wife. Elder Hale was
also with us.
On the 19th of July, Elder Hale left us to go to his friends
in New Rowley, Mass., and on the same evening I held a meet-
ing in the Methodist meetinghouse in the town of Farmington.
I had a large congregation of citizens, with wh^m I had been
acquainted from my youth. My parents, wife and sister attented
the meeting. The congregation seemed satisfied with the doc-
trines I taught, and they requested me to hold another meeting;
but I felt anxious to continue my journey, and on the 20th of
July I parted with my father, step-mother and sister, and took
stage for Hartford with my wife.
On my arrival at Hartford, not having money to pay the
fare of both of us, I paid my wife's fare to Rowley, Mass., where
there was a branch of the Church, presided over by Brother
Nathaniel Holmes, father of Jonathan and Milton Holmes, and
I journeyed on foot.
The first day I walked fifty- two miles, the second day forty-
eight, and the third day thirty-six miles, and arrived at Rowley
at two o'clock, making 136 miles in a little over two-and-a half
days.
I spent eight days at New Rowley, holding meetings and
visiting the Saints, including the Holmes family, and left there
°n the 1st of August.
On the 8th of August, in company with my wife and Elder
Hale, I visited my wife's father, Ezra Carter, and his family in
Scarboro, Maine, it being the first time I had ever seen any of
32 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
her relatives. We were very kindly received. My wife had
been absent from her father's home about one year.
I spent eight days with Father Carter and household, and
one day I went out to sea with Fabian and Ezra Carter, my
brothers-in-law, in a boat, to fish with hooks. We caught 250
cod, haddock and hake, and we saw four whales, two at a time,
it being the first time in my life I had ever seen the kind of a
fish which is said to have swallowed Jonah.
On the 18th of August, 1837, I parted with my wife and
her father's household, leaving her with them, and, in company
with Jonathan H. Hale, started upon the mission that I had in
view when I left Kirtland.
We walked ten miles to Portland, and took passage on the
steamboat Bangor, which carried us to Owl's Head, where we
went on board of a sloop which landed us on North Fox Island
at 2 o'clock, a. m., on the 20th.
CHAPTER X.
Description of Vinal Haven — Population and Pursuit of the People —
Great Variety of Fish — The Introduction of the Gospel.
The town of Vinal Haven includes both North and South
Fox Islands, in lat. 44° north, and long. 69° 10' west. The
population numbered, at the time of my visit, about 1,800. The
inhabitants were intelligent and industrious, and hospitable to
strangers. They got most of their wealth and living by fishing.
The town fitted out over one hundred licensed sailing vessels,
besides smaller craft.
North Fox Island is nine miles long by two miles in width
and had a population of 800. They had a post office, one store,
a Baptist church and meetinghouse, four schoolhouses and a
tide grist mill.
The land was rather poor, yet there were some good farms.
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 33
The products were wheat, barley, oats, potatoes and grass.
The principal timber was fir, spruce, hemlock and birch. Rasp-
berries and gooseberries grew in great abundance, and some up-
land cranberries were raised. The principal stock of the island
were sheep.
South Fox Island comes as near being without any definite
form as any spot on earth I ever saw. It would be difficult for
any person to describe it. It is about ten miles in length by
five in width, and is one universal mass of rocks, formed into
shelves, hills, and valleys, and cut up into necks and points to
make room for the coves and harbors that run through and
through the island.
' The population was 1,000. The inhabitants got their living
entirely by fishing. There is no chance for farming upon the
island, and but a few garden patches, which are cultivated at
great expense. Some few sheep are raised there.
Many of the inhabitants fish in the region of Newfound-
land, and bring their fish home and cure them on flakes and
prepare them for the market. They supply the market with
great quantities of cod, mackerel and boxed herring.
Upon this island there were two stores, three tide saw
mills, six school houses and a small branch of the Methodist
church, presided over by a priest.
What timber there is upon this island, such as pine, fir,
spruce, hemlock and birch, and the wortleberries, raspberries
and gooseberries, mostly grows out of the cracks of the rocks.
Great quantities of fish, and in almost endless variety,
inhabit the coves and harbors around the island. The whale,
blackfish, shark, ground shark, pilot-fish, horse mackerel, stur-
geon, salmon, halibut, cod, pollock, torn cod, hake, haddock,
mackerel, shad bass, alewife, herring, pohagen, dolphin, whit-
ing, frost-fish, flounder, smelt, skate, shrimp, skid, cusk, blue-
back, scollop, dogfish, muttonfish, lumpfish, squid, five-fingers,
monkfish, horsefish, sunfish, swordfish, thresher, cat, scupog,
34 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
tootog, eyefish, cunner, ling, also the eel, lobster, clam, muscle,
periwinkle, porpoise, seal, etc., are found there.
Thus I have given a brief description of Vinal Haven. It
was quite] dark when we landed there without a farthing in
money. We made our way over the rocks and through the
cedars the best way we could, until we found a house, when we
rapped at the door. A woman put her head out of the win-
dow, and asked who was there and what was wanted.
I told her we were two strangers and wanted a bed to lie
down upon until morning.
She led us in and gave us a bed, and we slept until quite
late, it being Sunday morning. When we came out and took
breakfast it was nearly noon. I asked her what she charge'd
for our entertainment, and she replied that we were welcome.
I then asked her if there was any religion, or minister or
church on the island.
She informed me there was a Baptist minister by the name
of Newton, who had a congregation and a meeting house about
five miles from there.
We thanked her for her kindness, walked to the meeting
house and stepped inside the doorway. We stood there until
a deacon came to the door, when I asked him to go and tell the
minister in the pulpit that there were two servants of God at
the door, who had a message to deliver to that people, and
wished the privilege of delivering it.
He sent for us to come to the pulpit, so we walked through
the congregation with our valises under our arms, and took a
seat by the side of the minister, who was about to speak as we
came to the door.
He arose, delivered his discourse to the people, occupying
about half an hour. When he closed he asked me what was
my wish.
I told him we wished to speak to the people at any hour
that would suit his or their convenience; so he gave notice that
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 35
there were two strangers present who would speak to the peo-
ple at five o'clock that evening.
We were quite a source of wonderment to xthe people, who
had no idea who we were.
Mr. Newton asked us to go home to tea with him, and we
gladly accepted the invitation. When we arrived at his house
I opened my valise and took out the Bible, Book of Mormon and
Doctrine and Covenants, laid them upon the table and took my
seat.
Mr. Newton took up the books and looked at them, but
said nothing. I then asked him if there were any school houses
upon the island, and if so, whether they were free to preach in.
He answered that there were four, numbered respectively
from one to four, and that they were free.
Mr. Newton and family accompanied us to the meeting-
house, where we met a large congregation, none of whom
knew whom we were or anything about our profession, except
the minister.
Elder Hale and I went to the stand, and I arose with pecu-
liar feelings, and addressed the congregation for one hour,
taking for my text Galatians i, 8-9.
This was the first time that I or any other Elder of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had (to my knowl-
edge) attempted to preach the fullness of the gospel and the
Book of Mormon to the inhabitants of any island of the sea.
I had much liberty in speaking, and informed the people
that the Lord had raised up a prophet and organized His Church
as in the days of Christ and the ancient apostles, with prophets
apostles, and the gifts as anciently, and that He had brought
forth the Book of Mormon.
At the close of my remarks, Elder Hale bore testimony.
I gave liberty for any one to speak that might wish to.
As no one responded, I announced that we would hold meetings
the next four evenings in the schoolhouses, beginning at No. 1.
36 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
CHAPTER XL
Mr Newton, the baptist Preacher, Wrestling with our Testimony —
Rejects it, and Begins to Oppose — Sends to a Methodist Minister to
Help Him— Mr. Douglass' Speech — Our Great Success in the North
Island — Go to the South Island and Baptize Mr. Douglass' Flock —
Great Number of Islands— Boiled Clams— Days of Prayer — Codfish
Flakes.
During the first thirteen days of our sojourn upon the
island we preached seventeen discourses, being invited by the
people to tarry with them. I left a copy of the Doctrine and
Covenants with Mr. Newton for his perusal.
He read it, and the Spirit of God bore testimony to him of
its truth. He pondered over it for days, and he walked his
room until midnight trying to decide whether to receive or
reject it.
He and his family attended about a dozen of my first meet-
ings, and then he made up his mind, contrary to the dictation
of the Spirit of God to him, to reject the testimony, and come
out against me. However, we commenced baptizing his flock.
The first two we baptized were a sea captain, by the name
of Justin Eames, and his wife. Brother Jonathan H. Hale
went down into the sea and baptized them on the 3rd of Sep-
tember, and these were the first baptisms performed by
proper authority upon any of the islands of the sea (to my
knowledge) in this dispensation.
• Before we left Kirtland some of the leading apostates there
had tried to discourage Brother Hale about going upon his
mission, telling him he would never baptize any one, and he had
better remain at home. When Captain Eames offered himself
for baptism, I told Brother Hale" to go and baptize him, and
prove those men false prophets, and he did so.
On the following Sabbath I baptized his brother, Ebenezer
Eames, another sea captain, and a young lady.
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 37
Mr. Newton, the* Baptist minister, now commenced a war
against us, and sent to the South Island for a Mr. Douglass,
a Methodist minister (with whom he had been at variance for
years) to come over and help him put down "Mormonism."
Mr. Douglass came over, and they got as many people
together as they could and held a conference. He railed against
Joseph, the prophet, and the Book of Mormon, and, taking the
book in his hand, with out-stretched arm, declared that he
feared none of the judgments of God that would come upon
him for rejecting it as the word of God. (I never heard what
his sentiments upon this subject were at the end of his term of
fourteen years' imprisonment in the Thomaston penitentiary,
for an outrage upon his daughter, the judgment of which was
given upon the testimony of his wife and daughter.)
I was present and heard Mr. Douglass' speech upon this
occasion, and took minutes of the same. When he closed I
arose and informed the people that I would meet with them
next Sunday in the meetinghouse, and answer Mr. Douglass,
and wished him as well as the people to be present.
I informed the people that Mr. Douglass had made
false statements against Joseph Smith and the Latter-day
Saints, with whom he had no acquaintance, and he had mis-
quoted much scripture, all of which I could correct.
We continued to baptize the people of the North Island
until we had baptized every person who owned an interest in
the Baptist meetinghouse. I then followed Mr. Douglass
home to the South Island and preached the gospel to and bap-
tized nearly all the members of his church.
The excitement became great upon both islands, and on
Sunday, the 17th of September, I met a large assembly from
both islands, and took the same subject that Mr. Douglass had
dwelt upon in his remarks against the Book of Mormon and our
principles.
I spoke two and a half hours and answered every objec-
38 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
tion against the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith or our
principles.
I had good attention, and the people seemed satisfied. At
the close of the meeting Elder Hale administered the ordinance
of baptism.
Mr. Newton in order to save his cause, went to the main-
land and brought over several ministers with him and held a
protracted meeting. They hoped by this to stop the work of
God, but all to no avail, for the whole people would attend our
meeting and receive the word uf God, and we continued to
baptize.
We visited the dwellings of most of the inhabitants during
our sojourn there.
Upon one occasion, while standing upon Mr. Carver's farm
on the east end of the North Island, we counted fifty-five islands
in that region, the majority of which were not inhabited. We
also saw twenty ships under sail at the same time.
We had no lack for food while upon the island, for if we
did not wish to trouble our friends for a dinner, we only had to
borrow a spade or a hoe and a kettle and go to the beach and
dig a peck of clams. These, when boiled, would make a deli-
cious meal, which we often availed ourselves of.
One day Elder Hale and I ascended to the top of a high
granite rock upon the South Island for prayer and supplication.
We sat down under the shade of a pine tree which grew out of
a fissure in a rock, and Elder Hale read the 16th chapter of
Jeremiah, where mention is made of the hunters and fishers
that God would send in the last days to gather Israel.
Of a truth, here we were upon an island of the sea, stand-
ing upon a rock where we could survey the gallant ships and
also the islands, which were as full of rocks, ledges and caves
as any part of the earth. And what had brought us here? To
search out the blood of Ephraim, the honest and meek of the
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 39
earth, and gather them from those islands, rocks, holes, and
cares of the earth unto Zion.
We prayed and rejoiced together. The Spirit of God
rested upon us; we spoke of Christ and the ancient prophets
and' apostles in Jerusalem; of Nephi, 'Alma, Mormon and Moroni
in America; Joseph, Hyrum, Oliver and the apostles in our own
day, and we rejoiced that we were upon the islands of the sea
searching out the blood of Israel.
While being filled with these meditations and the Spirit of
God, we fell upon our knees and gave thanks to the God of
heaven, and felt to pray for all Israel.
After spending most of the day in praise and thanksgiving,
we descended to the settlement and held a meeting with the
people.
On the 6th of September we called upon Captain BeDjamin
Coombs, and visited his flakes, where he had one thousand
quintals of codfish drying for the market. They had mostly
been caught in the region of Newfoundland. While we were
passing Carvey's Wharf our attention was called to a large
school of mackerel playing by the side of the wharf. Several
men were pitching them out with hooks. We also flung in a
hook and caught all we wanted, then went on our way.
CHAPTER XII.
Return to the Mainland — Parting with Brother Hale — My Second
Visit to the Islands — Visit to the Isle of Holt — A Sign Demanded
by Mr. Douglass — A Prediction About Him — Its Subsequent
Fulfillment — Spirit of Opposition — Firing off Cannon and Guns to
Disturb my Meeting.
We continued to labor, preaching and baptizing, and
organized a branch of the Church upon each island, and, finally,
40 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL
on the second of October, we parted from the Saints on the
North Island to return to Scarboro for a short time.
We walked from Thomaston to Bath, a distance of forty-six
miles, in one day, and at the latter place attended a Baptist
convention. I also preached there to a large congregation in
the evening, and the people gave good attention and wished to
learn more about our doctrines.
On the following day we walked thirty-six miles to
Portland, and the next day to Scarboro. Here I again
met with my wife and her father's family.
The time had come for me to give the parting hand to
Brother Jonathan H. Hale. We had traveled during the season
over two thousand miles together, with our hearts and spirits
well united.
He felt it his duty to return to his family in Kirtland, but
duty called me to return to my field of labor upon the
islands.
On the 9th of October I accompanied Brother Hale one
mile upon his journey. We retired to a grove and knelt down
and prayed together, and had a good time, and, after
commending each other to God, we parted, he to return to
Kirtland, and I to Fox Islands.
I spent fourteen days visiting the Saints and friends, and
holding meetings among them, and on the 28th of October I
took leave of Father Carter and family, and in company with
my wife rode to Portland, and spent the night with my
brother-in-law, Ezra Carter.
A severe storm arose, so we could not go to sea until
November 1st, when we took steamer to Owl's Head, carriage
to Thomaston and sloop to Fox Islands.
My second visit to these islands was made under very
different circumstances to the first. On my first visit I was an
entire stranger to the people, and they were strangers to the
gospel, but upon my second I met many Saints who had
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 41
received the gospel, and who hailed me, and my companion
also, with glad hearts.
On Sunday, the 5th of November, I met with a large
assembly of Saints and friends, and again commenced baptizing
such as would receive my testimony.
After visiting the North Island and holding meetiogs with
the Saints there, and baptizing two after meeting, I embarked
on board a sloop, with Captain Coombs, for another island
called the Isle of Holt. We arrived at noon, and I preached ,to
the people at night in their schoolhouse, and had an attentive
audience. I spent the night with John Turner, Esq., who
purchased a copy of the Book of Mormon.
On the followirg day we returned to Fox Islands, and as
St. Paul once had to row hard to make the land in a storm, we
had to row hard to make it in a calm.
After preaching on the North Island again, and baptizing
two persons at the close of the meeting, I returned again to
the mainland in company with Mrs. Woodruff and others, where
I spent fifteen days, during which time I visited among the
people, held twelve meetings and baptized several persons.
On the 13th of December I returned again to the North
Island, where I held several meetings, and then crossed over to
South Island.
On the 20th of December I spent an hour with Mr. Isaac
Crockett in clearing away large blocks of ice from the water in
a cove, in order to baptize him, which I did when the tide came
in. I also baptized two more in the same place on the 26th,
and again two others on the 27th.
On the 28th I held a meeting at a schoolhouse, when
William Douglass, the Methodist minister came and wanted me
to work a miracle, that he might believe, and otherwise railed
against me.
I told him what class of men asked for signs, and that he
was a wicked and adulterous man, and predicted that the curse
of God would rest upon him, and that his wickedness would be
42 LEAVES PROM MY JOURNAL.
made manifest in the eyes of the people. (While visiting these
islands several years afterwards, I learned that the prediction
had really been fulfilled, and that he was serving out a fourteen
years' term of imprisonment for a beastly crime.)
Mrs. Woodruff crossed the thoroughfare in a boat and
walked ten miles, the length of the island, to meet me, on the
last day of the year. I held a meeting the same day in the
schoolhouse, and at the close of the meeting baptized two
persons in the sea, at full tide before a large assembly.
January 1st, 1838, found me standing upon one of the
islands of the sea, a minister of the gospel of life and salvation
unto the people, laboring alone, though blessed with the
society of Mrs. Woodruff, my companion. I had been declaring
the word of the Lord through the islands many days, the Spirit
of God was working among the people, prejudice was giving
way, and the power of God was manifest by signs following
those who believed.
I spent this New Year's Day visiting the Saints and their
neighbors, and met a congregation at Captain Charles Brown's ,
where I spoke to them for awhile; and at the close of my
remarks led three persons down into the sea and baptized them.
Two of these were sea captains, namely Charles Brown and
Jesse Coombs, and the third was the wife of Captain Coombs.
After confirming them, we spent the evening in preaching,
singing and praying.
I held meetings almost daily with the Saints up to the
13th, when I crossed to the North Island. Here I found that
the seed I had sown was bringing forth fruit. Six persons
were ready for baptism.
But my mission upon these islands was not an exception to
the general rule, success did not come without many obstacles
presenting themselves. Those who rejected the word were
frequently inspired by the evil one to make an attempt at
persecution.
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 43
Some of those who felt to oppose me went down to the
harbor and got a swivel and small arms, and planted them
close by the schoolhouse, near the sea shore, and while I was
speaking, they commenced firing their cannon and guns. I
continued "speaking in great plainness, but my voice was
mingled with the report of musketry.
I told the people my garments were clear of the blood of
the inhabitants of that island, and asked if any wished to
embrace the gospel. Two persons came forward and wished to
be baptized, and I baptized them.
On the following day when I went down to the seaside to
baptize a man, the rabble commenced firing guns again, as on
the previous night. I afterwards learned that notices were
posted up warning me to leave the town, but I thought it
was better to obey God than man, and therefore did not go.
The next day I baptized three persons, and two days
subsequently a couple of others.
[ had ample evidence of the fact that lying [spirits had
gone out into the world, for three persons whom I had
baptized had been visited by Mr. Douglass, who told them that
I denied the Bible and could not be depended upon; and they
yielded to his insinuations until the devil took possession of
them and they were in a dissaffected condition and sent for me.
When I met them they were in great affliction, but
when I instructed them in regard to the principles of the
gospel, and administered to them, they were delivered from
the evil influence and rejoiced,
44 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
CHAPTER XIII.
Meeting with James Townsend — Decide to go to Bangor — A. Long
Journey Through Deep Snow — Curiou3 Phenomenon — Refused
Lodging at iEight Houses — Entertained by Mr. Teppley — Curious
Coincidence— Mr. Teppley's Despondency— Arrival at Bangor —
Return to the Islands — Adventure with the Tide.
On the 15th of February I again crossed to the North
Island, and after remaining there seven days visiting, we
returned to Camden. Here I met Brother James Townsend,
who had just arrived from Scarboro.
I ordained Brother Townsend to the office of an Elder, and
we concluded to take a journey to Bangor, and offer the gospel
to the inhabitants of that city.
We undertook the journey on foot in the dead of winter,
when the snow was very deep, and the first day broke the road
for seven miles to Scarsmont. The day following, it being
Sunday, we held two meetings, preached the gospel to the
people, and were kindly entertained.
On the evening of the next day we wallowed through
snowdrifts for a mile, to meet an appointment to preach in a
schoolhouse, and I got one of my ears frozen on the way; but
notwithstanding the severity of the weather, we had quite a
large and attentive audience. We also spent the next two
days with the people there and held meetings.
On the evening of the 21st of February, as we came out of
the schoolhouse, a light appeared in the northeastern horizon,
and spread to the west and soon rolled over our heads. It had
the appearance of fire, blood and smoke, and at times resembled
contending armies. The heavens were ilJuminated for the
space of half an hour. It seemed at times as though the veil
was about to rend in twin and the elements were contending
with each other.
We looked upon it as one of the signs in the heavens
predicted by the prophets of old, as to appear in the last days.
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 45
We were wading through deep snowdrifts most of the time
while witnessing' this remarkable scene.
The following day we walked fifteen miles through deep
snow to Belfast, and after being refused lodgings for the night
by eight families, we were kindly entertained by Mr. Thomas
Teppley.
There was an interesting incident connected with our stay
at his house. After eating supper, it being late in the evening,
Mr. Teppley placed a stand before me with a Bible upon it,
asking me to read a chapter and have prayers with them, he
being a religious man.
I opened the Bible mechanically, when, the 25th chapter
of Matthew being the first to catch my eye, I read it, and, as I
closed the book, Mr. Teppley turned to his wife and said, "Is
not this a strange thing?" Then he explained to us that he had
just read that chapter and closed the book when we rapped at
the door, and he felt impressed to say, "Walk in, gentlemen."
There is probably no other chapter in the whole book that
would have the same influence in causing any one to feed a
person who professed to be a servant of God, and asked for
bread.
After becoming acquainted with his circumstances I thought
it providential that we were led to his house, • for although he
was a professor of religion and a Methodist, he was in a
state of despair, believing he had committed the unpardon-
able sin.
However, I told him what the unpardonable sin was, and
that he had not committed it; but that it was a trick of the
devil to make him think so, in order to torment him. He then
acknowledged that he went down to the wharf a few evenings
before, with the intention of drowning himself, but when he
looked into the cold, dark water he desisted and returned home,
and had said nothing previous to anyone about it.
46 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
I taught him the principles of the gospel, which proved a
comfort to him.
We spent the following day in visiting the people of
Belfast, and in the evening preached in a brick schoolhouse,
provided by Mr. Teppley, and many wished to hear more
from us.
We next visited Northport and Frankfort, holding
meetings at both places, and on the 1st of March, 1838, we
entered Bangor, which at that time had a population of ten
thousand. This was my birthday, I being thirty- one years
of age.
I visited some of the leading men of Bangor, and they
granted me the use of the City Hall, where I preached to good
audiences for two successive evenings. This was the first time
a Latter-day Saint Elder had preached in that town. Many
were anxious to learn more about our principles, but our visits
through all the towns from Thomaston to Bangor were
necessarily brief, owing to our appointments upon the islands.
It was like casting bread upon the waters and trusting in God
for the result.
Of the 5th of March we sailed from Penobscot for the Isle
of Holt, where I held a meeting on the following evening.
The next day I took passage on the mail boat for the
North Island, where I again had the privilege of meeting with
the Saints for prayer and praise before the Lord.
On my arrival I received a package of letters from friends
abroad. One was from Kirtland and gave an account of the
apostasy and tribulation which the Saints were passing through.
Joseph the prophet and others, with their families, had gone
to Far West, and the Saints were following them.
Brother Townsend returned home, and I was again left
alone in the ministry.
On the afternoon of the 22nd of March, Brother Sterrett
and I, accompanied by our wives, went several hundred yards
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 47
from shore to a sand bar (it being low tide) to dig clams. The
ground near the shore was very much lower than the bar we
were on, and while we were all busy digging clams and talking
1 'Mormonism," the dashing of the waves of the incoming tide
against the shore suddenly made us conscious that we had fifty
yards of water between us and the shore.
The surf waves also added to our difficulty, ani, as we had
no boat, our only alternative was to cross our four arms, thus
forming a kind of arm-chair for our wives to sit upon, and
carry them in turn to the shore, wading through two and a half
feet of water.
By the time we got our wives and clams safely landed, the
truth of the maxim was firmly impressed upon our minds, that
"Time and tide wait for no man," not even for a preacher of
the gospel.
CHAPTER XIV.
Counseled to Gather with the Saints — Remarkable Manifestation —
Case of Healing — Efforts of Apostates — Visit from Elders — A
Conference — Closing my Labors on the Islands for a Season.
On the 28th of March, I received a letter from Zion,
requesting me to counsel the Saints I had baptized to sell their
property and gather up to Zion.
About this time the Lord was manifesting Himself upon the
islands in various ways, by dreams, visions, healings, signs and
wonders. I will relate one peculiar circumstance of this kind
that occurred.
Mr. Ebenezer Carver had been investigating our doctrines
for quite a length of time, and, having a great desire to know
the truth of our religion, he walked to the seashore, wishing
that he might have some manifestation in proof of its truth.
48 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
The passage of scripture came to his mind that there would
be no sign given "but the sign of the Prophet Jonas," and while
this thought was in his mind a large fish arose to the top of
the water, a distance from him in the sea, and suddenly sank
out of sight. He much desired to see it again, and soon it
arose to the top of the water, accompanied by another fish of
about the same size, and one of them swam on the water in a
straight line towards Mr. Carver as he stood on the shore. It
came as near to him as the water would permit; and then
stopped and gazed at him with a penetrating eye, as though it
had a message for him. It then returned to its mate in the
ocean and swam out of sight.
Mr. Carver retraced his steps homeward, meditating upon
the scene and the wonderful condescension of the Lord.
It is proper to remark that this was at a season of the
year when fish of that size are never known upon those shores
or seas, and they are never, at any season, known to come
ashore as in the case mentioned.
Mr. Carver was convinced that it was intended by the Lord
as a sign to him.
Two 'days after the event I visited Mr. Carver at his
house, and found his wife confined to her bed with a fever, and
she requested me to administer to her. I placed my hands
upon her head, the power of God rested upon me, and I
commanded her in the name of Jesus Christ to arise and walk.
She arose and was healed from that instant, and she walked
down to the sea and I baptized her in the same place where
the fish visited her husband. I confirmed her there, and she
was filled with the Holy Ghost and returned to her home
rejoicing.
I now called the people together and exhorted them to
sell their property and prepare to accompany me to the land of
Zion. I had labored hard for many days for the temporal and
spiritual welfare of the the inhabitans of those islands, and the
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 49
Lord had blessed my labors and given me many souls as seals
of my ministry, for which I felt to praise Him; and now I felt
to labor quite as zealously to gather out those who had
embraced the gospel, and lead them to Zion.
The worst difficulty which the Saints had to contend with
in that day was from false brethren. Warren Parrish, who
had been a prominent Elder in the Church, and had labored
with me as a missionary, had apostatized and been cut off from
the Church. Learning that I was building up branches of the
Church upon the island, he and other apostates conspired to
block up my way by writing lies to the people and stirring up a
spirit of mobocracy upon the islands.
They succeeded in exerting a strong influence with the
wicked, but I knew they could not hinder the work of God.
On the 6th of April I held a meeting at Brother Ebenezer
Carver's, and though the hearts of the wicked were stirred up
in bitterness against me, the Spirit of God was with me, and at
the close of the meeting I baptized three persons. One of these
was Mrs. Abigail Carver, the mother of Ebenezer Carver, who
was seventy years of age and in poor health. She had not so
much as visited a neighbor's house for six years, but upon this
occasion she walked with boldness to the seashore and L baptized
her, and she returned rejoicing.
On the 11th of April I had the happy privilege of again
meeting with Elders Milton Holmes, James Townsend and Abner
Rogers, who had come to the islands to attend conference with
me.
We held our conference on the 13th of April, on North
Fox Island, and had a representation of the different branches
on the islands. We also preached and bore our testimony,
ordained several and baptized one person at the close of the
meeting,
On the 17th of April Mrs. Woodruff left the island to
return to her father's home in Scarboro, Maine, and a few days
50 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
afterwards I called the Saints of the North Island together and
communed with and instructed them. I also informed them
that the Spirit of God bore record to me that it was our duty
to leave the islands for a season and take a western mission.
They had been faithfully warned, and the Saints were established
in the truth, while the wicked were contending against us, and
some were disposed to take our lives if they had the power.
CHAPTER XV.
Return to Scarboro — Journey South — Visit to A. P. Rockwood in
Prison— Incident of Prison Life — Journey to Connecticut— Baptize
my Father's Household.
On the 28th of April we left the island in an open sail-boat
and made our way to Owl's Head, and then walked twenty miles.
The following day we walked forty miles and suffered some with
weary limbs and blistered feet, but we felt that it was for the
gospel's sake and did not choose to complain. The next day a
walk of thirty miles brought us to Scarboro, where we spent the
night at Father Carter's.
On the 8th of May I parted with Mrs. Woodruff and Father
Carter and family, and in company with Milton Holmes walked
thirty-three miles toward Portsmouth, which city we reached
the following day and spent several hours there, visiting the
navy yard. We then walked to Georgetown, formerly New
Rowley, and spent the night with Father Nathaniel Holmes.
On the 11th of May I visited Charleston and Bunker Hill
monument, and also spent several hours in the city of Boston,
which then contained a population of one hundred thousand. I
ascended to the cupola of the court-house, from which I had a
fine view of the city. I visited several of the Saints in the city,
and walked over the long bridge to Cambridge and Cambridge-
port.
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 51
I visited the jail there in order to have an interview with
Brother A. P. Rockwood, who had been cast into prison on the
plea of debt, in order to trouble and distress him, because he
was a "Mormon." This was the first time we had ever met.
The jailor permitted me to enter the room where he was. It
was the first time in my life I had ever entered a prison. The
jailor turned the key upon us and locked us both in.
I found Brother Rockwood strong in the faith of the gos-
pel. He had the Bible, Book of Mormon, Voice of Warning
and Evening and Morning Star as his companions, which he read
daily.
We conversed together for three hours in this solitary
abode. He informed me of many things which had transpired
while he was confined there as a prisoner. Among other things,
he mentioned that the jail had taken fire a few days previous to
my visit. He said it looked a little like a dark hour. The fire
was roaring over his head, while uproar and confusion were
upon every hand. Fire engines were rapidly playing around the
building, with water pouring into every room. The people were
hallooing in the streets. Prisoners were begging for mercy's
sake to be let out, or they would be consumed in the fire. One
was struggling in the agonies of death, while others were curs-
ing and swearing. Brother Rockwood said he felt composed in
the midst of it until the fire was extinguished.
At eight o'clock the jailor unlocked the prison door to let
me out, and I gave the parting hand to the prisoner of hope.
We had spent a pleasant time together, and he rejoiced at
my visit; and who would not, to meet with a friend in a lonely
prison? I left him in good spirits, and wended my way back to
Boston.
I spent several days in Boston, holding meetings with the
Saints there, and then walked to Providence, Rhode Island,
preaching by the way.
I there took steamer and arrived in New York on the 18th
52 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
of May, where I met with Elder Orson Pratt and his family, and
Elijah Fordham and near one hundred Saints who had been bap-
tized in the city of New York.
I spent three days in New York visiting the Saints and
holding meetings. Several new converts were baptized while I
was there.
Leaving New York, I traveled through New Jersey, and
returned to Farmington, Connecticut, the residence of my
father. I arrived at his house on the 12th of June.
It was with peculiar sensations that I walked over my na-
tive land, where I spent my youth, and cast my eyes over the
Farmington meadows and the hills and dales where I had roamed
in my boyhood with my father, stepmother, brothers and half-
sister.
On my arrival at my father's home I had the happy privi-
lege of once more taking my parents and sister by the hand,
also my uncle, Ozem Woodruff, who was among the number I
had baptized the year before.
After spending an hour in conversation, we sat down around
our father's table and supped together and were refreshed.
Then we bowed upon our knees together in the family circle
and offered up the gratitude of our hearts to God for preserving
our lives and reuniting us.
I spent the next eighteen days in Farmington and Avon,
visiting my father's household, my uncles, aunts, cousins, neigh-
bors and friends, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ unto
them and striving to bring them into the kingdom of God.
On the 1st of July, 1838, one of the most interesting events
transpired of my whole life in the ministry.
When Father Joseph Smith gave me my patriarchal bless-
ing, among the many wonderful things of my life, he promised
me that I should bring my father's household into the kingdom
of God, and I felt that if I ever obtained the blessing, the time
had come for me to perform it.
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 53
By the help of God, I preached the gospel faithfully to my
father's household and to all that were with him, as well as to
my other relatives, and I had appointed a meeting on Sunday,
the 1st of July at my father's home.
My father was believing my testimony, as were all in his
household, but upon this occasion the devil was determined
to hinder the fulfillment of the promise of the patriarch
unto me.
It seemed as though Lucifer, the son of the morning, had
gathered together the hosts of hell and exerted his powers upon
us all. Distress overwhelmed the whole household, and all were
tempted to reject the work. And it seemed as though the same
power would devour me. I had to take to my bed for an hour
before the time of meeting. I there prayed unto the Lord with
my whole soul for deliverance, for I knew the power of the
devil was exercised to hinder me from accomplishing what God
had promised me.
The Lord heard my prayer and answered my petition, and
when the hour of meeting had come I arose from my bed, and
could sing and shout for joy to think I had been delivered from
the power of the evil one.
Filled with the power of God, I stood up in the midst of
the congregation and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ unto
the people in great plainness.
At the close of the meeting we assembled on the banks of
the Farmington river, "because there was much water there,"
and I led six of my friends into the river and baptized them for
the remission of their sins.
All of my father's household were included in this number,
according to the promise of the Patriarch. They were all rela-
tives except Dwight Webster, who was a Methodist class-leader
and was boarding with my father's family.
I organized the small number of nine persons, eight of
whom were my relatives, into a branch of the Church, and or-
54 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
dained D wight Webster to the office of a Priest and administered
the sacrament unto them.
It was truly a day of joy to my soul. My father, step-
mother and sister were among the number baptized. I after-
wards added a number of relatives. I felt that this day's work
alone amply repaid me for all my labor in the ministry.
Who can comprehend the joy, the glory, the happiness and
consolation that an Elder of Israel feels in being an instrument
in the hands of God of bringing his father, mother, sister,
brother, or any of the posterity of Adam through the door that
enters into life and salvation? No man can, unless he has ex-
perienced these things, and possesses the testimony of Jesus
Christ and the inspiration of Almighty God.
CHAPTER XVI.
Taking Leave of my Old Home — Return to Maine— Birth of my First
Child— Appointment to the Apostleship and to a Foreign Mission —
Preparation for the Journey to Zion.
Now, as my mission to my native land was accomplished,
which I felt impressed to take while upon the islands, I felt it
duty to return here.
Monday, July 2nd, 1838, was the last day and night I spent
at my father' s home while upon this mission. At the setting
of the sun I took the last walk with my sister I ever had with
her while in my native State. We walked by the canal and
viewed the river and fields, and conversed upon our future
destiny.
After evening prayer with the family, my father retired to
rest, and I spent a season with my step-mother who had reared
me from my infancy. In conversation we felt sensibly the
weight of the power of temptation, out of which the Lord had
delivered us.
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 55
I also spent a short time with my sister Eunice, the only
sister I was ever blessed with in my father's family. I had
baptized her into the Church and Kingdom of God and we min-
gled our sympathies, prayers and tears together before the
throne of grace.
How truly are the bonds of consanguinity and of the blood
of Christ united in binding the hearts of the Saints of God
together, and ''how blessings brighten as they take their
flight!"
This being the last night I was to spend beneath my father's
roof while upon this mission, I felt the weight of it, and my
prayer was, "0, Lord, protect my father's house, and bring him
to Zion!" (which prayer was granted.)
On the morning of July 3rd, 1 took leave of my relatives
and my native land, and started on my return to Maine.
I arrived in Scarboro on the 6th, and on the 24th my first
child — a daughter — was born, at Father Carter's house. We
named her Sarah Emma.
On the 30th of July I left my wife and child at Father
Carter's and started once more to visit Fox Islands.
While holding meeting with the Saints at North Vinal
Haven on the 9th of August I received a letter from Thomas B.
Marsh, who was then President of the Twelve Apostles, inform-
ing me that Joseph Smith, the Prophet, had received a rvela-
tion, naming as persons to be chosen to fill the places of those
who had fallen; John E. Page, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff
and Willard Richards.
President Marsh added, in his letter, ''Know then, Brother
Woodruff, by this, that you are appointed to fill the place of
one of the Twelve Apostles, and that it is agreeable to the word
of the Lord, given very lately, that you should come speedily to
Far West, and, on the 26th of April next, take your leave of
the Saints here and depart for other climes across the mighty
deep."
56 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
The substance of this letter had been revealed to me several
weeks before, but I had not named it to any person.
The time having now come for me to prepare for leaving
the islands, I had a desire to take with me all the Saints I could
get to go to Zion. There had already been a line drawn upon
the islands between the Saints and those who had rejected the
gospel, and the enemies were very bitter against me and the
work of God I had labored to establish. They threatened my
life, but the Saints were willing to stand by me.
I spent four days with the Saints visiting them, holding
meetings and encouraging them, while the devil was raging
upon every hand.
I had baptized and organized into the Church nearly one
hundred persons while upon the islands, and there seemed a
prospect of gathering about half of them with me, but the devil
raged to such an extent that quite a number were terrified.
The inhabitants of the islands had but little acquaintance
with the management of horses or wagons; in fact, most of
them knew more about handling a shark than a horse. How-
ever, in company with Nathaniel Thomas, who had sold his
property and had money, I went to the mainland and purchased
ten new wagons, ten sets of harness and twenty horses. When
I got everything prepared for the company to start, I left the
affairs with Brother Thomas, and went on ahead of the company
to Scarboro, to prepare my own family for the journey.
The outfit which I purchased for the company cost about
$2,000.00.
Before leaving Brother Thomas, I counseled him in regard
to the course to pursue, and charged him not to be later than
the 1st of September in starting from the mainland.
I arrived at Father Carter's on the 19th of August, and
waited with great anxiety for the arrival of the company from
the islands, but instead of reaching there by the 1st of Sep-
tember they did not arrive till the 3rd of October; and when
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 57
they did arrive the wagon covers were all flying in the breeze .
It took a good day's work to nail down the covers, paint the
wagons and get prepared for the journey.
CHAPTER XVII.
Start upon our Journey— A Hazardous Undertaking— Sickness— Se~
vere Weather — My Wife and Child Stricken — A Trying Experience
— My Wife Continues to Fail — Her Spirit Leaves her Body —
Restored by the Power of God — Her Spirit's Experience While
Separated from the Body— Death of my Brother— Arrival at
Rochester — Removal to Quincy.
On the afternoon of the 9th of October, we took leave of
Father Carter and family, and started upon our journey of
2,000 miles at this late season of the year, taking my wife with
a suckling babe at her breast with .me, to lead a company of
fifty-three souls from Maine to Illinois, and to spend neatly three
months in traveling in wagons, through rain, mud, snow and
frost. It was such a trial as I never before had attempted dur-
ing my experience as a minister of the gospel.
On our arrival at Georgetown we were joined by Elder
Milton Holmes. We traveled each day as far as we could go,
and camped wherever night overtook us.
On the 13th of October, while crossing the Green Moun-
tains, I was attacked with something resembling the cholera.
I was very sick. I stopped at a house for about two hours, but
the Elders administered to me, and I revived.
On the 24th I was again taken sick, and my wife and child
were also stricken down. We also had several others sick in
the company, through the exposure of the journey.
On the 31st we had our first snow-storm, and the horses
dragged our wagons all day through mud, snow and water.
On the 2nd of November Elder Milton Holmes left us, and
took steamer for Fairport; and two days afterwards a little boy
58 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
of Nathaniel Holmes', about six years of age, died, and we had
to bury him at Westfield.
The roads finally became so bad and the cold so severe that
Nathaniel Thomas and James Townsend concluded to stop for
the winter. We parted with them on the 21st of November,
near New Portage, Ohio.
On the 23rd of November, my wife, Phoebe, was attacked
with a se\ere headache, which terminated in brain fever. She
grew more and more distressed daily as we continued our jour-
ney. It was a terrible ordeal for a woman to travel in a wagon
over rough roads, afflicted as she was. At the same time our
child was also very sick.
The 1st of December was a trying day to my soul. My
wife continued to fail, and in the afternoon, about 4 o'clock,
she appeared to be struck with death. I stopped my team, and
it seemed as though she would breathe her last lying in the
wagon. Two of the sisters sat beside her, to see if they could
do anything for her in her last moments.
I stood upon the ground, in deep affliction, and meditated.
I cried unto the Lord, and prayed that she might live and not
be taken from me. I claimed the promises the Lord had made
unto me through the prophets and patriarchs, and soon her
spirit revived, and I drove a short distance to a tavern, and got
her into a room and worked over her End her babe all night, and
prayed to the Lord to preserve her life.
In the morning the circumstances were such that I was
under the necessity of removing my wife from the inn, as there
was so much noise and confusion at the place that she could not
endure it. I carried her out to her bed in the wagon and drove
two miles, when I alighted at a house and carried my wife and
her bed into it, with a determination to tarry there until she
either recovered her health or passed away. This was on Sun-
day morning, December 2nd.
After getting my wife and things into the house and wood
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 59
provided to keep up a fire, I employed my time in taking care
of her. It looked as though she had but a short time to live.
She called me to her bedside in the evening and said she
felt as though a few moments more would end her existence in
this life. She manifested great confidence in the cause she had
embraced, and exhorted me to have confidence in God and to
keep His commandments.
To all appearances, she was dying. 1 laid hands upon her
and prayed for her, and she soon revived and slept some duriDg
the night.
December 3rd found my wife very low. I spent the day in
taking care of her, and the following day I returned to Eaton
to get some things for her. She seemed to be gradually sink-
ing and in the evening her spirit apparently left her body, and
she was dead.
The sisters gathered around her body, weeping, while I
stood looking at her in sorrow. The spirit and power of God
began to rest upon me until, for the first time during her sick-
ness, faith filled my soul, although she lay before me as one
dead.
I had some oil that was consecrated for my anointing
while in Kirtland. I took it and consecrated it again before the
Lord for anointing the sick. I then bowed down before the
Lord and prayed for the life of my companion, and I anointed
her body with the oil in the name of the Lord. I laid my hands
upon her, and in the name of Jesus Christ I rebuked the power
of death and the destroyer, and commanded the same to depart
from her, and the spirit of life to enter her body.
Her spirit returned to her body, and from that hour she
was made whole; and we all felt to praise the name of God, and
to trust in Him and to keep His commandments.
While this operation was going on with me (as my wife re-
lated afterwards) her spirit left her body, and she saw it lying
upon the bed, and the sisters weeping. She looked at them and
60 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
at me, and upon her babe, and, while gazing upon this scene,
two personages came into the room carrying a coffin and told
her they had come for her body. One of these messengers in-
formed her that she could have her choice: she might go to rest
in the spirit world, or, on one condition she could have the
privilege of returning to her tabernacle and continuing her
labors upon the earth. The condition was, if she felt that she
could stand by her husband, and with him pass through all the
cares, trials, tribulation and afflictions of life which he would
be called to pass through for the gospel's sake unto the end.
When she looked at the situation of her husband and child she
said: "Yes, I will do it!"
At the moment that decision was made the power of faith
rested upon me, and when I administered unto her, her spirit
entered her tabernacle, and she saw the messengers carry the
coffin out at the door.
On the morning of the 6th of December, the Spirit said to
me: ' 'Arise, and continue thy journey!" and through the mercy
of God my wife was enabled to arise and dress herself and
walked to the wagon, and we went on our way rejoicing.
On the night of the 11th I stopped for the night at an inn,
the weather being very cold. I there learned of the sudden
death of my brother, Asahel H. Woodruff, a merchant of Terre
Haute, Ind.
I had anticipated a joyful meeting with this brother on the
following day. Instead of this, I only had the privilege of visit-
ing his grave, in company with my wife, and examining a little
into his business.
I was offered the position of administrator of his affairs,
but I was leading a company of Saints to Zion, and could not
stop to attend to his temporal business. Strangers settled his
affairs, and took possession of his property. His relatives
obtained nothing from his effects except a few trifling me-
mentos.
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 61
I left this place and crossed into Illinois on the 13th of
December, and arrived at Rochester on the 19th, and, getting
information of the severe persecutions of the Saints in Missouri
and the unsettled state of the Church at that time, we concluded
to stop at Rochester and spend the winter.
Thus ended my journey of two months and sixteen days,
leading the Fox Island Saints to the west, through all the perils
of a journey of nearly two thousand miles, in the midst of sick-
ness and great severity of weather.
I took my family in the spring and removed to Quincy,
Illinois, where I could mingle with my brethren, and I felt to
praise God for His protecting care over me and my family in all
our afflictions.
CHAPTER XVIII.
A Peculiar Revelation— Determination of Enemies to Prevent its
Fulfillment— Start to Far West to Fulfill the Revelation— Our
Arrival there — Hold a Council — Fulfill the Revelation— Corner
Stone of the Temple Laid — Ordained to the Apostleship — Leave Far
West — Meet the Prophet Joseph — A Conference Held — Settle our
Families in Nauvoo.
Joseph Smith, the Prophet, asked the Lord what His will
was concerning the Twelve, and the Lord answered in a revela-
tion, given July 8th, 1838, in which He says: "Let them take
leave of my Saints in the city Far West, on the 26th day of
April next, on the building spot of my house, saith the Lord.
Let my servant John Taylor, and also my servant John E. Page,
and also my servant Wilford Woodruff, and also my servant
Willard Richards, be appointed to fill the places of those who
have fallen, and be officially notified of their appointment."
It will be observed that this differs from nearly all other
revelations in this respect: a fixed day and a stated place were
given for the commencement of the mission. When the reve-
62 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
lation was given, all was peace and quietude in Far West, Mis-
souri, the city where most of the Latter-day Saints dwelt; but
before the time came for its fulfillment, the Saints of God had
been driven out of the State of Missouri into the State of Illi-
nois, under the edict of Governor Boggs; and the Missourians
had sworn that if all the other revelations of Joseph Smith were
fulfilled, that should not be. It stated that the day and the
place where the Twelve Apostles should take leave of the Saints,
to go on their missions across the great waters, and the mobo-
crats of Missouri had declared that they would see that it should
not be fulfilled.
It seemed as though the Lord, having a foreknowledge of
what would take place, had given the revelation in this manner
to see whether the Apostles would obey it at the risk of their
lives.
When the time drew near for the fulfillment of this com-
mandment of the Lord, Brigham Young was the President of
the Twelve Apostles; Thos. B. Marsh, who was the senior Apos-
tle, had fallen. Brother Brigham called together those of the
Twelve who were then at Quincy, Illinois, to see what their
minds would be about going to Far West, to fulfill the revela-
tion. The Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum, Sidney Rig-
don, Lyman Wight and Parley P. Pratt were in prison in Mis-
suri, at the time; but Father Joseph Smith, the Patriarch, was
at Quincy, Illinois. He and others who were present did not
think it wisdom for us to attempt the journey, as our lives
would be in great jeopardy. They thought the Lord would take
the will for the deed. But when President Young asked the
Twelve what our feelings were upon the subject, we all of us,
as the voice of one man, said the Lord God had spoken, and it was
for us to obey. It was the Lord's business to take care of His
servants, and we would fulfill the commandment, or die trying.
To fully understand the risk the Twelve Apostles ran in
making this journey, my readers should remember that Lilburn
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 63
W. Boggs, governor of the State of Missouri, had issued a proc-
lamation, in which all the Latter-day Saints were required to
leave that State or be exterminated. Far West had been cap-
tured by the militia, who were really only an organized mob, the
citizens had been compelled to give up their arms; all the leading
men who could be got hold of had been taken prisoners; the
rest of the Saints — men, women and children — had to flee as
best they could out of the State to save their lives, leaving all
their houses, lands and other property which they could not
carry with them to be taken by the mob. In fact they shot
down the cattle and hogs of the Saints wherever they could find
them, and robbed them of nearly everything they could lay their
hands upon. Latter-day Saints were treated with merciless
cruelty and had to endure the most outrageous abuses. It was
with the greatest difficulty that many of them got out of the
State, especially the prominent men; for there were many men
of that State at that time, who acted as though they thought it
no more harm to shoot a ''Mormon" than a mad dog. From
this brief explanation you will be able to understand why some
of the brethren thought we were not required to go back to
Far West to start from there upon our mission across the ocean
to Europe.
Having determined to carry out the requirement of the
revelation, on the 18th of April, 1839, I took into mj wagon
Brigham Young and Orson Pratt; and Father Cutler took into
his wagon John Taylor and George A. Smith, and we started for
Far West.
On the way we met John E. Page, who was going with his
family, to Quincy, Illinois. His wagon had turned over, and
when we met him he was trying to gather up a barrel of soft
soap with his hands. We helped him get up his wagon. He
drove down into the valley below, left his wagon, and accom-
panied us on cur way.
On the night on the 25th of April, we arrived at Far West,
64 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
and spent the night at the home of Morris Phelps, who was not
there, however, himself; he, having been taken prisoner by the
mob, was still in prison.
On the morning of the 26th of April, 1839, notwithstanding
the threats of our enemies that the revelation which was to be
fulfilled this day should not be, and notwithstanding that ten
thousand of the Saintt had been driven out of the State by the
edict of the governor, and though the Prophet Joseph and his
brother, Hyrum Smith, with other leading men were in the
hands of our enemies, in chains and in prison, we moved on to
the temple grounds in the city of Far West, and held a council,
and fulfilled the revelation and commandment given unto us,
and we performed many other things at this council.
We excommunicated from the Church thirty- one persons,
who had apostatized and become its enemies.
The "Mission of the Twelve" was sung, and we then re-
paired to the south-east corner of the temple ground, and, with
the assistance of Elder Alpheus Cutler, the master workman of
the building committee, laid the south-east chief corner stone
of the temple, according to revelation.
There were present of the Twelve Apostles: Brigham
Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt, John E. Page and John
Taylor, who proceeded to ordain Wilford Woodruff and Geo. A.
Smith, to the apostleship, and as members of the quorum of the
Twelve, in the places of those who had fallen, as they had been
called by revelation.
Darwin Chase and Norman Shearer, who had just been
liberated from Richmond prison, were also ordained to the office
of Seventies. The Twelve then offered up vocal prayer in the
following order: Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson
Pratt, John E. Page, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff and George
A. Smith, after which we sang "Adam-ondi-Ahman."
The Twelve then took their leave of, and gave the parting
hand to, the following Saints, agreeable to revelation: A. Butler.
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 65
Elias Smith, Norman Shearer, Wm. Burton, Stephen Markham,
Shadrach Roundy, Wm. 0. Clark, John W. Clark, Hezekiah
Peck, Darwin Chase, Richard Howard, Mary Ann Peck, Arti-
mesia Granger, Martha Peck, Sarah Granger, Theodore Turley,
Hiram Clark, and Daniel Shearer.
Bidding good- by to the small remnant of the Saints who
remained en the temple ground to see us fulfill the revelation
and commandments of God, we turned our backs on Far West
and Missouri, and returned to Illinois. We had accomplished
the mission without a dog moving his tongue at us, or any man
saying, "Why do you do so?"
We crossed the Mississippi river on the steam ferry, entered
Quincy on the 2nd of May, and all had the joy of reaching our
families once more in peace and safety.*
There was an incident connected with our journey that is
worthy of record. While we were on our way to fulfill the rev-
elation, Joseph, the Prophet, and his companions in chains had
been liberated, through the blessings of God, from their ene-
mies and prison, and they passed us. We were not far distant
from each other, but neither party knew it. They were making
their way to their families in Illinois, while we were traveling
to Far West into the midst of our enemies. So they came home
to their families and friends before our return.
May the 3rd was a very interesting day to me, as well as
to others. In company with five others of the quorum of the
Twelve, I rode four miles out of town to Mr. Cleveland's, to visit
Brother Joseph Smith and his family.
Once more I had the happy privilege of taking Brother
Joseph by the hand. Two years had rolled away since I had
seen his face. He greeted us with great joy, as did Hyrum
Smith and Lyman Wight, all of whom had escaped from their
imprisonment together. They had been confined in prison six
months, and had been under sentence of death three times; yet
their lives were in the hands of God, and He had delivered them,
66 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
and they were now mingling with their wives, children and
friends, and out of the reach of the mob. Joseph was frank,
open and familiar as usual, and our rejoicing was great.
No man can understand the joyful sensations created by
such a meeting, except those who have been in tribulation for
the gospel's sake.
After spending the day together, we returned to our fami-
lies at night.
On the day following, May 4th, we met in conference at
Quincy, the Prophet Joseph presiding, which caused great joy
and rejoicing to all the Saints.
On Sunday, May 5th, Joseph Smith addressed the assembly,
followed by Sidney Rigdon and the Twelve Apostles. The Spirit
of the Lord was poured out upon us, and we had a glorious
day.
On May 6th, I met with the Seventies, and we ordained
sixty men into the quorums of Elders and Seventies. Brother
Joseph met with the Twelve, Bishops and Elders, at Bishop
Partridge's house; and there were a number with us who were
wounded at Haun's Mill. Among them was Isaac Laney, who
had been, in company with about twenty others, at the mill,
when a large armed mob fired among them with rifles and other
weapons, and shot down seventeen of the brethren, and wounded
more. Brother Laney fled from the scene, but they poured a
shower of lead after him, which pierced his body through and
through. He showed me eleven bullet holes in his body. There
were twenty-seven in his shirt, seven in his pantaloons, and his
coat was literally cut to pieces. One ball entered one arm-pit
and came out at the other.
Another entered his back and came out at the breast. A
ball passed through each hip, each leg and each arm. All these
shots were received while he was running for life, and, strange
as it may appear, though he had also one of his ribs broken, he
was able to outrun his enemies, and his life was saved. We can
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 67
only acknowledge this deliverance to be by the power and mercy
of God.
President Brigham Young was also among the number. He
also fled, and although the balls flew around him like hail, he
was not wounded. How mysterious are the ways of the Lord !
Before starting on our missions to England, we were under
the necessity of settling our families. A place called Commerce,
afterwards named Nauvoo, wa3 selected as the place at which
our people should settle.
I left Quincy, in company with Brother Brigham Youjg
and our families on the 15th of May, and arrived in Commerce
on the 18th. After an interview with Joseph we crossed the
river at Montrose, Iowa. President Brigham Young anl myself,
with our families, occupied one room about fourteen feet square.
Finally Brother Young obtained another room and moved his
family into it. Then Brother Orson Pratt and family moved into
the same room with myself and family.
CHAPTER XIX.
A Day of God's Power with the Prophet Joseph Smith — A Great
Number of Sick Persons Healed — The Mob Becomes Alarmed — They
Try to Interfere with the Healing of the Sick— The Mob sent out of
the House— Twin Children Healed.
While I was living in this cabin in the old barracks, we ex-
perienced a day of God's power with the Prophet Joseph. It
was a very sickly time and Joseph had given up his home in
Commerce to the sick, and had a tent pitched in his door-yard
and was living in that himself. The large number of Saints
who had been driven out of Missouri, were flocking into Com-
merce; but had no homes to go into, and were living in wagons,
in tents, and on the ground. Many, therefore, were sick
68 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
through the exposure they were subjected to. Brother Joseph
had waited on the sick, until he was worn out and nearly sick
himself.
On the morning of the 22nd of July, 1839, he arose, reflect-
ing upon the situation of the Saints of God in their persecu-
tions and afflictions, and he called upon the Lord in prayer, and
the power of God rested upon him mightily, and as Jesus healed
all the sick around Him in His day, so Joseph, the Prophet of
God, healed all around on this occasion. He healed all in his
house and door-yard, then, in company with Sidney Rigdon and
several of the Twelve, he went through among the sick lying
on the bank of the river, and he commanded them in a loud
voice, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come up and be made
whole, and they were all healed. When he healed all that were
sick on the east side of the river, they crossed the Mississippi
river in a ferry-boat to the west side, to Montrose, where we
were. The first house they went into was President Brigham
Young's He was sick on his bed at the time. The Prophet
went into his house and healed him, and they all came out to-
gether. As they were passing by my door, Brother Joseph said:
' 'Brother Woodruff, follow me. " These were the only words
spoken by any of the company from the time they left Brother
Brigham's house till we crossed the public square, and entered
Brother Fordham's house. Brother Fordham had been dying
for an hour, and we expected each minute would be his last.
I felt the power of God that was overwhelming His
Prophet.
When we entered the house, Brother Joseph walked up to
Brother Fordham, and took him by the right hand; in his left
hand he held his hat.
He saw that Brother Fordham's eyes were glazed, and that
he was speechless and unconscious.
After taking hold of his hand, he looked down into the
dying man's face and said: "Brother Fordham, do you not know
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 69
me?" At first he made no reply; but we could all see the effect
of the Spirit of God resting upon him.
He again said: "Elijah, do you not know me?"
With a low whisper, Brother Fordham answered, "Yes!"
The Prophet then said, "Have you not faith to be healed?"
The answer, which was a little plainer than before, was:
"I am afraid it is too late. If you had come sooner, I think it
might have been."
He had the appearance of a man waking from sleep. It
was the sleep of death.
Joseph then said: "Do you believe that Jesus is the
Christ?"
"I do, Brother Joseph," was the response.
Then the Prophet of God spoke with a loud voice, as in the
majesty of the Godhead: "Elijah, I command you, in the name
of Jesus of Nazareth, to arise and be made whole!"
The words of the Prophet were not like the words of man,
but like the voice of God. It seemed to me that the house
shook from its foundation.
Elijah Fordham leaped from his bed like a man raised from
the dead. A healthy color came to his face, and life was mani-
fested in every act.
His feet were done up in Indian meal poultices. He kicked
them off his feet, scattered the contents, and then called for
his clothes and put them on. He asked for a bowl of bread and
milk, and ate it; then put on his hat and followed us into the
street, to visit others who were sick.
The unbeliever may ask: "Was there not deception in
this?"
If there is any deception in the mind of the unbeliever,
there was certainly none with Elijah Fordham, the dying man,
nor with those who were present with him, for in a few minutes
more he would have been in the spirit world, had he not been
rescued. Through the blessing of God, he lived up till 1880,
70 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
in which year he I died in Utah, while all who were with him on
that occasion, with the exception of one, are in the spirit world.
Among the number, were Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Sidney
Rigdon, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, George A. Smith,
Parley P. Pratt and Orson Pratt. Wilford Woodruff is the only
one living who was present at the time, and he will soon mingle
with those who have gone.
As soon as we left Brother Fordham's house, we went into
the house of Joseph B. Noble, who was very low and danger-
ously sick.
When we entered the house, Brother Joseph took him by
the hand, and commanded him, in the name of Jesus Christ, to
arise and be made whole. He did arise and was immediately
healed.
While this wa3 going on, the wicked mob in the place, led
by one Kilburn, had become alarmed, and followed us into
Brother Noble's house.
Before they arrived there, Brother Joseph had called upon
Brother Fordham to offer prayer.
While he was praying the mob entered, with all the evil
spirits accompanying them.
As soon as they entered, Brother Fordham, who was pray-
ing, fainted and sank to the floor.
When Joseph saw the mob in the house, he arose and had
the room cleared of both that class of men and their attendant
devils. Then Brother Fordham immediately revived and finished
his prayer.
This shows what power evil spirits have upon the taber-
nacles of men. The Saints are only saved from the power of the
devil by the power of God.
This case of Brother Noble's was the last one of healing
upon that day. It was the greatest day for the manifestation
of the power of God through the gift of healing since the
organization of the Church.
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 71
When we left Brother Noble, the Prophet Joseph went,
with those who accompanied him from the other side, to the
banks of the river, to return home.
While waiting for the ferry-boat, a man of the world,
knowing of the miracles which had been performed, came to
him and asked him if he would not go and heal two twin chil-
dren of his, about five months old, who were both lying sick
nigh unto death.
They were some two mile from Montrose.
The Prophet said he could not go; but, after pausing some
time, he said he would send some one to heal them; and he
turned to me and said: "You go with the man and heal his
children."
He took a red silk handkerchief out of his pocket and gave
it to me, and told me to wipe their faces with the handkerchief
when I administered to them, and the} should be healed. He
also said unto me; "As long as you will keep that handkerchief,
it shall remain a league between you and me."
I went with the man, and did as the Prophet commanded
me, and the children were healed.
I have possession of the handkerchief unto this day.
CHAPTER XX.
Preparing for our Journey and Mission — The Blessing of the Prophet
Joseph upon our Heads, and his Promises unto us— The Power of
the Devil Manifested to Hinder us in the Performance of our
Journey.
On the first of July, 1839, Joseph Smith and his counselors,
Sidney Rigdon and Hyrum Smith, crossed the river to Montrose,
to spend the day with the Twelve, and set them apart and bless
them, before they started upon their missions. There were
twelve of us who met there, and we all dined in my house.
72 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
After dinner, we assembled at Brother Brigham Young's
house for our meeting.
Brother Hyrum Smith opened by prayer; after which the
Presidency laid their hands upon our heads and gave each of us
a blessing.
President Rigdon was mouth in blessing me, and also
blessed Sisters Young, Taylor and Woodruff.
The Prophet Joseph promised us if we would be faithful,
we should be blessed upon our mission, have many souls as seals
of our ministry, and return again in peace and safety to our
families and friends; all of which was fulfilled.
Brother Hyrum advised me to preach the first principles of
the gospel; ho thought that was about as much as this genera-
tion could endure.
Then Joseph arose and preached some precious things of
the Kingdom of God unto us, in the power of the Holy Ghost;
some of which I here copy from my journal:
"Ever keep in exercise the principle of mercy, and be ready
to forgive our brethren on the first intimation of their repent-
ance and desire for forgiveness; for our Heavenly Father will
be equally as merciful unto us. We also ought to be willing to
repent of and confess our sins, and keep nothing back. Let
the Twelve be humble and not be exalted, and beware of pride
and not seek to excel one another, but act for each other's
good, and honorably make mention of each other's names in
prayer before the Lord and before your fellow-men. Do not
backbite or devour a brother. The Elders of Israel should seek
to learn by precept and example in this late age of the world
and not be obliged to learn everything we know by sad experi-
ence. I trust the remainder of the Twelve will learn wisdom and
not follow the example of those who have fallen. When the
Twelve or any other witnesses of Jesus Christ, stand before the
congregations of the earth, and they preach in the power and
demonstration of the Holy Ghost, and the people are astonished
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 73
and confounded at the doctrine, and say 'That man has preached
a powerful sermon;' then let that man or those men take care
that they do not ascribe the glory unto themselves, but be
careful that they are humble, and ascribe the glory to God and
the Lamb; for it is by the power of the Holy Priesthood and the
Holy Ghost that they have power thus to speak.
"Who art thou, 0 man, but dust! and from whom dost thou
receive thy power and blessings, but from God?
"Then let the Twelve Apostles and Elders of Israel observe
this key, and be wise: Ye are not sent out to be taught but to
teach.
' 'Let every man be sober, be vigilant, and let all his words
be seasoned with grace, and keep in mind it is a day of warning,
and not of many words.
"Act honestly before God and man; beware of sophistry,
such as bowing and scraping unto men in whom you have no
confidence. Be honest, open, and frank in all your intercourse
with mankind.
"I wish to say to the Twelve and all the Saints to profit by
this important key, that in all your trials, troubles, tempta-
tions, afflictions, bonds, imprisonments and deaths, see to it
that you do not betray Jesus Christ, that you do not betray the
revelations of God, whether in the Bible, Book of Mormon, or
Doctrine and Covenants, or any of the words of God.
"Yea, in all your troubles, see that you do not this thing,
lest innocent blood be found upon your skirts, and ye go down
to hell.
"We may ever know by this sign that there is danger of
our being led to a fall and apostasy when we give way to the
devil, so as to neglect the first known duty; but whatever you
do, do not betray your friend. "
The foregoing are some of the instructions given to the
Twelve by the Prophet Joseph, before they started upon their
missions.
74 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
Inasmuch as the devil had been in a measure thwarted by
the Twelve going to Far West, and returning without harm, it
seemed as though the destroyer was determined to make some
other attempt upon us to hinder us from performing our mis-
sions; for it seemed that as soon as any one of the Apostles be-
gan to prepare for starting, he was smitten with chills and
fever or sickness of some kind.
Nearly all of the quorum of the Twelve or their families
began to be sick, so it still required the exercise of a good deal
of faith and perseverance to start off on a mission.
On the 25th of July, for the first time in my life, I was
attacked with chills and fever; and this I had every other day,
and, whenever attacked, I was laid prostrate.
My wife, Phoebe, was also soon taken down with the chills
and fever, as were quite a number of the Twelve.
I passed thirteen days in Montrose with my family, after I
was taken sick, before I started on my mission.
The 7th of August was the last day I spent at home in
Montrose, and although sick with the chills and fever the most
of the day, I made what preparations I could to start on the
morrow on a mission of four thousand miles, to preach the gos-
pel to the nations of the earth, and this, too, without purse or
scrip, with disease resting upon me, and a stroke of fever and
ague once every two days.
Yet I did this freely, for Christ's sake, trusting in Him for
the recompense or reward. My prayer was: "May the Lord
give me grace according to my day and souls for my hire, and
a safe return to my family and friends, which favor I ask in the
name of Jesus Christ. Amen."
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL. 75
CHAPTER XXI.
Leave my Family — Start Upon my Mission — Our Condition— Elder
Taylor the Only One Not Sick — Reproof from the Prophet — Inci-
dents Upon the Journey — Elder Taylor Stricken — I Leave him Sick.
Early upon the morning of the 8th of August, I arose from
my bed of sickness, laid my hands upon the head of my sick
wife, Phoebe, and blessed her. I then departed from the em-
brace of my companion, and left her almost without food or the
necessaries of life.
She parted from me with the fortitude that becomes a
Saint, realizing the responsibilities of her companion. I quote
from my journal:
"Phoebe, farewell! Be of good cheer; remember me in your
prayers. I leave these pages for your perusal when I am gone.
I shall see thy face again in the flesh. I go to obey the com-
mands of Jesus Christ."
Although feeble, I walked to the banks of the Mississippi
river. There President Brigham Young took me in a canoe
(having no other conveyance) and paddled me across the river.
When we landed, I lay down on a side of sole leather, by
the post office, to rest.
Brother Joseph, the Prophet of God, came along and looked
at me.
"Well, Brother Woodruff," said he, "you have started upon
your misssion."
"Yes," said I, "but I feel and look more like a subject for
the dissecting room than a missionary."
Joseph replied: "What did you say that for? Get up, and
go along; all will he right with you!"
I name these incidents that the reader may know how the
brethren of the Twelve Apostles started upon their missions to
England, in 1839.
76 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
Elder John Taylor was going with "me, and we were the
first two of the quorum of the Twelve who started on their
mission.
Brother Taylor was about the only man in the quorum that
was not sick.
Soon a brother came along with a wagon, and took us in.
As we were driving through the place, we came to Parley P.
Pratt, who was stripped to the shirt and pants with his head
and feet bare. He was hewing a log, preparing to build a
cabin.
He said: ' 'Brother Woodruff, I have no money, but I have
an empty purse, which I will give you." He brought it to me,
and I thanked him for it.
We went a few rods further, and met Brother Heber C.
Kimball, in the same condition, also hewing a log, towards build-
ing a cabin.
He said: "As Parley has given you a purse, I have got a
dollar I will give you to put in it."
He gave me both a dollar and a blessing.
We drove sixteen miles across a prairie, and spent the
night with a Brother Merrill. The day following we rode ten
miles, to a Brother Perkins', and he took us in his wagon to
Macomb, and from thence to Brother Don Carlos Smith's.
1 rode four hours during the day over a very rough road of
stones and stumps, lying on my back in the bottom of the
wagon, shaking with the ague, and I suffered much.
We held a meeting in a grove near Don Carlos Smith's, and
here Elder Taylor baptized George Miller, who afterwards was
ordained a Bishop.
At the meeting the Saints gave us nine dollars, and George
Miller gave us a horse to help us on our journey.
I rode to Rochester with Father Coltrin, where I had an
interview with several families of the Fox Island Saints, whom
I had brought up with me from Fox Islands, in 1838. I spent
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several days with them and at Springfield, where Elder Taylor
published fifteen hundred copies, in pamphlet form, of a brief
sketch of the persecutions and sufferings of the Latter-day
Saints, inflicted by the inhabitants of Missouri.
We sold our horse and in company with Father Coltrin,
Brother Taylor and myself left Springfield, and continued our
journey.
I had the chills and fever nearly every other day, which
made riding in a lumber wagon very distressing to me, especially
when I shook with the ague.
On the 24th of August, we rode to Terre Haute, and spent
the night with Dr. Modisett. I suffered much with the chills
and fever.
Elder John Taylor up to this time had appeared to enjoy
excellent health, but the destroyer did not intend to make him
an exception to the rest of the Apostles. On the 28th of
August, he fell to the ground as though he had been knocked
down. He fainted away, but soon revived. On the following
day, however, the enemy made a powerful attack upon his life.
He fainted away several times, and it seemed as though he
would die. We stopped several hours with him at a house by
the wayside. We then took him into the wagon and drove to
Horace S. Eldredge's, and spent the remainder of the day and
night doctoring him.
In the morning Brother Taylor was so far recovered that
he thought he would be able to ride. So we started on our
journey on the morning of the 30th, and we traveled forty miles,
to Louisville, and spent the night with the family of Brother
James Townsend.
We felt terribly shaken up, being in such a weak state.
Brother Townsend was away from home, but we were kindly
entertained by Sister Townsend.
In the morning, Elder Taylor, though very weak, felt dis-
posed to continue his journey. We traveled fourteen miles to
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Germantown. He was quite sick at night, and the bilious fever
seemed to settle upon him. I was also very feeble myself.
On the day following, September 1st, being Sunday, Brother
Taylor concluded to remain there for the day, and hold a meet-
ing.
It was a German settlement. He wished me to speak, and
I spoke upon the first principles of the gospel. He followed me,
and spoke until he was exhausted.
Aft3r we returned to the inn where we were stopping, I
was taken with a chill and fever, and had a very bad night.
Brother Taylor was also \ery sick.
The following day, September 2nd, was a painful day to my
feelings. It was evident that Brother Taylor had a settled fever
upon him, and would not be able to travel.
Father Coltrin was resolved to continue his journey, and,
in conversing with Brother Taylor, he thought it better for one
sick man to be left than for two, as I was so sick with the
chills and fever that I was not able to render him any assist-
ance, nor, indeed, to take care of myself. Under these cir-
cumstances, Brother Taylor advised me to continue my journey
with Brother Coltrin, and make the best of my way to New
York.
CHAPTER XXII.
Continue my Journey — Leave Elder Taylor in Germantown — Arrive in
Cleveland— Take Steamer from There to Buffalo— Delayed by a
Storm — Go to Farmington, my Father's Home — Death of my
Grandmother— My Uncle Dies — I Preach hi3 Funeral Sermon —
Arrive in New York -Sail for Liverpool — Encounter Storms and
Rough Weather— Arrive in Liverpool.
After committing Elder Taylor into the hands of the Lord,
though painful to me, I gave him the parting hand, and started.
I left him in Germantown, Wayne County, Indiana, in the
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hands of a merciful God and a kind and benevolent family, who
promised to do everything in their power to make him
comfortable until his recovery.
This they did, though he passed through a severe course of
bilious fever, and was sick nigh unto death. Through the
mercy of God, however, he recovered from his sickness and
continued his journey. We next met in the city of New York.
I continued my journey with Father Coltrin, and we
reached Cleveland on the 18th of September. We there took
steamer for Buffalo, but were three days and a night in a storm
before we made the harbor. We landed at midnight, and in
doing so we ran into a schooner, and stove it in.
From Buffalo I traveled to Albany in a canal boat, and had
a stroke of the ague daily.
While on my journey, at Albany, I took a stage in the
night, and rode to my father's home in Farmington, on the 21st
of September.
I was glad to meet with my father's family and the other
members of the small branch of the Church which existed there
upon this occasion, as I found them all strong in the faith of
the gospel, and glad to meet with me.
I was still suffering with the ague daily.
On the 27th of September, my grandmother (on my
mother's side) Anna Thompson, died at Avon. She was
eighty- four years of age.
It was a singular coincidence that she, with her husband,
Lot Thompson, also Mercy Thompson and Samuel Thompson all
of one family, died when they were eighty- four years of age.
I was not able to attend my grandmother's funeral.
On the 4th of October, 1839, my uncle, Adna Hart, died,
aged forty-three years. I had visited him in his sickness, and
preached the gospel to him, and he was believing. I had also
been associated with him from my youth up.
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On his death bed he sent me a request that I would preach
his funeral sermon.
I was having the chills and fever daily at the time, attended
with a very severe cough, so much so that my father
thought that I would never leave his home alive. But when
they brought me the request of my dying uncle, and the day
came for his burial, I told my father to get his horse and buggy
ready, for I was going to attend the funeral.
He thought I was very reckless in regard to my own life,
as I had suffered with the chills and fever some fifteen days, and
to attempt to speak in my weak state, and to begin at the same
hour that my chill was to come on, seemed to him foolhardy.
My parents were quite alarmed, yet according to my
request my father got up his team, and I rode with him and my
stepmother five miles, through a cold, chilly wind, and I
commenced speaking to a large congregation, at the same hour
that my chill had been in the habit of coming on.
I spoke over an hour with great freedom, and my chill
left me from that hour, and I had no more attacks for many
days.
On the Monday following, October 17th, I felt sufficiently
restored to health to continue my journey. I took leave of my
father and sister, and left for New York, where I arrived on
the morning of the 8th of November.
I spent two months and seven days after my arrival in New
York, in traveling and preaching in that city, New Jersey and
Long Island, a portion of the time with Parley and Orson Pratt.
I had frequent attacks during this time of the chills and fever,
but I preached almost daily.
On the 13th of December I attended our conference in
New York City with Parley P. Pratt, and on this day Elder
John Taylor arrived in our midst, and it was a happy meeting.
He had passed through a severe siege of sickness after we
parted, but through the mercy of God had been preserved, and
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was able to continue his journey. He also informed us that
others of the quorum of the Twelve had suffered a great deal
of sickness, and that it was with difficulty that they could
travel.
After spending six days in New York, Elder John Taylor
in company with Elder Theodore Turley and myself sailed out
of New York Harbor, for Liverpool, on board the packet ship
Oxford, on the 19th of December, 1839.
We took the steerage passage, which cost fifteen dollars
each. We had storms and rough weather, but most of the
winds were favorable for a quick passage.
While on the ship a Methodist minister got into a discussion
with some Catholics who were in the company, and the
arguments of the minister ran rather more into abuse than
sound argument.
Elder Taylor told the Methodist minister that he did not
think it was becoming in the daughter to find so much fault
with the mother, for as the Methodists were the offspring
of the Catholics, Elder Taylor thought the mother had as much
right to enjoy her religion unmolested as the daughter had.
That ended the argument.
Our company consisted of one hundred and nine souls,
composed of Americans, English, Scotch, Irish, Welsh and
Dutch.
We arrived in Liverpool dock on the 11th day of January,
1840, having made the voyage from New York in twenty-three
days.
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CHAPTER XXIII.
Our Visit to Preston — Our First Council in England, in 1840 — We
Take Different Fields of Labor— A Woman Possessed of the
Devil— Attempt to Cast it Out and Fail — Turn Out the Unbelievers
and Succeed — The Evil Spirit Enters Her Child — Commence
Baptizing — The Lord Makes Known His Will to Me.
On January 13th, 1840, after visiting Mr. George Cannon,
the father of President George Q. Cannon, and his family, we
took cars in the evening and arrived in the midst of the Preston
branch of the Saints, built up in 1837, by Elders Heber C.
Kimball, Orson Hyde and Willard Richards.
We very soon had a pleasant interview with Elder Willard
Richards, who had remained in Preston to take care of the
Church, while the rest had returned home to America.
We spent three days at Preston in visiting the Saints and
on the 17th we held a council at Elder Richards' home in that
place.
After consulting upon the best course for us to pursue, it
was finally resolved that Elder John Taylor and Joseph Fielding
go to Liverpool, Elder Woodruff to Staffordshire Potteries,
Theodore Turley to Birmingham, Elder Richards wherever the
Spirit might direct him, and that Wm. Clayton preside over the
branch in Manchester.
After various principles of the Church had been expounded
by the Apostles present, the council adjourned.
Elder Willard Richards had been called to be one of the
quorum of the Twelve Apostles, but had not yet received his
ordination.
On the day following I parted with Elders Taylor and
Fielding, who went to Liverpool, and with Elder Richards, who
tarried in Preston. Elder Turley and I went to Manchester.
It was the first time I ever visited that city. I here first
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met with Elder Wm. Clayton. As soon as I had an introduction
to him, he informed me that one of the sisters in that place
was possessed of the devil, and he asked me to go and cast it
out of her, thinking that one of the Twelve Apostles could do
anything in this line he might wish to.
However, I went with him to the house where the woman
lay, in the hands of three men, in a terrible rage, and trying to
tear her clothing from her.
I also found quite a number of Saints present,and some un-
believers, who had come to see the devil cast out and a miracle
wrought.
If I had acted upon my own judgment I should not have
attempted to administer to her with the company present, but
as I was a stranger there, and Brother Clayton presided over
the branch, I joined him in administering to the woman. But
the unbelief of the wicked present was so great, we could not
cast the devil out of her, and she raged worse than ever.
I then ordered the room to be cleared, and when the com-
pany left the house, except the few attending to her, we laid
hands upon her, and I commanded the devil to come out of her,
in the name of Jesus Christ. The devil left her and she was
entirely cured and fell asleep.
The next day being the Sabbath, she came before a large
congregation of people, and bore testimony to what the Lord
had done for her. We had a large assemblage through the day
and evening, to whom I preached the gospel.
On Monday morning, the devil, not being satisfied with be-
ing cast out of the woman, entered into her little child, which
was but a few months old.
I was called upon to visit the child. I found it in great
distress, writhing in its mother's arms. We laid hands upon
it and cast the devil out of it, and the evil spirits had no power
over the household afterwards.
This was done by the power of Gud, and not of man. We
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laid hands upon twenty in Manchester who were sick, and they
were mostly healed.
On the 21st, I arrived in Burslem by coach, and met, for
the first time, with Elder Alfred Cordon. This being my field
of labor, I stopped and commenced work.
Elder Turley stopped in the pottery district some eight
days, then went to Birmingham, his field of labor.
I received a letter on the 10th of February, from Elder
John Taylor, who was at Liverpool, saying they had commenced
there and baptized ten persons.
I labored in the Staffordshire Potteries, in Burslem, Hanley,
Stoke, Lane End, and several other villages, from the 22nd of
January until the 2nd of March, preaching every night in the
week and two or three times on the Sabbath.
I baptized, confirmed and blessed many, and we had a good
field open for labor. Many were believing and it appeared as
though we had a door open to bring many into the Church in
that part of the vineyard.
March 1st, 1840, was my birthday, when I was thirty-three
years of age. It being Sunday I preached twice through the
day to a large assembly in the City Hall, in the town of Hanley*
and administered the sacrament unto the Saints.
In the evening I again met with a large assembly of the
Saints and strangers, and while singing the first hymn the Spirit
of the Lord rested upon me, and the voice of God said to me,
"This is the last meeting that you will hold with this people for
many days."
I was astonished at this, as I had many appointments out
in that district.
When I arose to speak to the people, I told them that it
was the last meeting I should hold with them for many days.
They were as much astonished as I was.
At the close of the meeting four persons came forward for
baptism, and we went down into the water and baptized them.
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In the morning I went in secret before the Lord, and asked
Him what His will was concerning me.
The answer I got was, that I should go to the south, for
the Lord had a great work for me to perform there, as many-
souls were waiting for the word of the Lord.
CHAPTER XXIV.
My Journey to Herefordshire — Interview with John Benbow— The
Word of the Lord Fulfilled to me — The Greatest Gathering into the
Church Known Among the Gentiles Since the Organization of the
Church in this Dispensation — A Constable Sent to Arrest me — I
Convert and Baptize him — Two Clerks Sent as Detectives to Hear
me Preach, and Both Embrace the Truth — Rectors Petition to have
our Preaching Prohibited — The Archbishop's Reply — Book of Mor-
mon and Hymn Book Printed— Case of Healing.
On the 3rd of March, 1840, in fulfillment of the word of
the Lord to me, I took coach and rode to Wolverhampton,
twenty six miles, and spent the night there.
On the morning of the 4th I again took coach, and rode
through Dudley, Stourbridge, Stourport and Worcester, and
then walked a number of miles to Mr. John Benbow's, Hill Farm,
Castle Frome, Ledbury, Herefordshire. This was a farming
country in the south of England, a region where no Elder of the
Latter-day Saints had visited.
I found Mr. Benbow to be a wealthy farmer, cultivating
three hundred acres of land, accupying a good mansion, and
having plenty of means. His wife, Jane, had no children.
I presented myself to him as a missionary from America>
an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
who had been sent to him by the commandment of God as a
messenger of salvation, to preach the gospel of life unto him
and his household, and the inhabitants of the land.
Mr. Benbow and his wife received me with glad hearts and
86 LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
thanksgiving. It was in the evening when I arrived, having
traveled forty- eight miles by coach and on foot during the day,
but after receiving refreshments we sat down together, and
conversed until two o'clock in the morning.
Mr. Benbow and his wife rejoiced greatly at the glad tid-
ings which I brought unto them of the fullness of the everlast-
ing gospel, which God had revealed through the mouth of His
Prophet, Joseph Smith, in these last days.
I rejoiced greatly at the news that Mr. Benbow gave me,
that there was a company of men and women — over six hun-
dred in number — who had broken off from the Wesleyan Method-
ists, and taken the name of United Brethren. They had forty-
five preachers among them, and had chapels and many houses
that were lincensed according to the law of the land for preach-
ing in.
This body of United Brethren were seaching for light and
truth,- but had gone as far as they could, and were continually
calling upon the Lord to open the way before them, and send
them light and knowledge that they might know the true way
to be saved.
When I heard these things I could clearly see why the Lord
had commanded me, while in the town of Hanley, to leave that
place of labor and go to the south, for in Herefordshire there
was a great harvest-field for gathering many Saints into the
kingdom of God.
I retired to my bed with joy after offering my prayers and
thanksgiving to God, and slept sweetly until the rising of the
sun.
I arose on £ne morning of the 5th, took breakfast, and told
Mr. Benbow I would like to commence my Master's business, by
preaching the gospel to the people.
He had a large hall in his mansion which was licensed for
preaching, and he sent word through the neighborhood that an
American missionary would preach at his house that evening.
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As the time drew nigh many of the neighbors came in, and
I preached my first gospel sermon in the house. I also preached
on the following evening at the same place, and baptized six
persons, including Mr. John Benbow and his wife, and four
preachers of the United Brethren.
I spent most of the following day in clearing out a pool of
water, and preparing it for baptizing in, as I saw many to be
baptized there. I afterwards baptized six hundred in that pool
of water.
On Sunday, the 8th, I preached at Frome's Hill in the
morning, at Standley Hill in the afternoon, and at John Ben-
bow's, Hill Farm, in the evening.
The parish church that stood in the neighborhood of Brother
Benbow's, presided over by the rector of the parish, was at-
tended during the day by only fifteen persons, while I had a
large congregation, estimated to number a thousand, attend my
meeting through the day and evening.
When I arose in the evening to speak at Brother Benbow's
house, a man entered the door and informed me that he was a
constable, and had been sent by the rector of the parish with a
warrant to arrest me.
I asked him "For what crime?"
He said, "For preaching to the people."
I told him that I, as well as the rector, had a license for
preaching the gospel to the peopb, and that if he would take a
chair I would wait upon him after meeting.
He took my chair and sat beside me. I preached the first
principles of the everlasting gospel for an hour and a quarter.
The power of God rested upon me, the Spirit filled the house,
and the people were convinced.
At the close of the meeting I opened a door for baptism,
and seven offered themselves. Among the number were four
preachers and the constable.
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The latter arose and said, "Mr. Woodruff, I would like to
be baptized."
I told him I would like to baptize him. I went down to the
pool and baptized the seven. We then met together and I con-
firmed thirteen, and broke bread unto the Saints and we all re-
joiced together.
The constable went to the rector and told him if he wanted
Mr. Woodruff taken up for preaching the gospel, he must go
himself and serve the writ, for he had heard him preach the
only true gospel sermon he had ever listened to in his life.
The rector did not know what to make of it, so he sent two
clerks of the Church of England as spies, to attend our meeting,
and find out what we did preach.
But they were both pricked in their hearts and received
the word of the Lord gladly, and were baptized and confirmed
members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The rector became alarmed and did not dare to send any-
body else.
. The ministers and rectors of the South of England called a
convention and sent a petition to the Archbishop of Canterbury,
to request parliament to pass a law prohibiting the "Mormons"
from preaching in the British dominion.
In this petition the rector stated that one "Mormon" mis-
sionary had baptized fifteen hundred persons, mostly members
of the English church, during the last seven months.
But the archbishop and council, knowing well that the laws
of England gave free toleration to all religions under the
British flag, sent word to the petitioners that if they had the
worth of souls at heart as much as they had the ground where
hares, foxes and hounds ran, they would not lose so many of
their flock.
I continued to preach and baptize daily.
On th3 21st day of March I baptized Elder Thomas Kings-
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ton. He was the superintendent of both preachers and members
of the United Brethren.
The first thirty days after my arrival in Herefordshire, I
had baptized forty-five preachers and one hundred-and-sixty
members of the United Brethren, who put into my hands one
chapel and forty-five houses, which were licensed according to
law to preach in.
This opened a wide field of labor, and enabled me to bring
into the Church, through the blessing of God, over eight
hundred souls during eight months, including all of the six hun-
dred United Brethren except one person, also including some
two hundred preachers of various denominations.
This field of labor embraced Herefordshire, Gloucestershire
and Worcestershire, and formed the conferences of Garway,
Godfield Elm and Frome's Hill.
I was visited by President Young and Dr. Richards.
Brother Benbow furnished us with £300 to print the first
Book of Mcrmon that was published in England: and on the
20th of May, 1840, Brigham Young, Willard Richards and I
held a council on the top of Malvern Hill, and there decided
that Brigham Young go direct to Manchester and publish 3,000
copies of the Hymn Book and 3,000 copies of the Book of Mor-
mon, this being the first publication of these books in England.
The power of God rested upon us and upon the mission.
The sick were healed, devils were cast out, and the lame
were made to walk.
One case I will mention: Mary Pitt, who died in Nauvoo,
sister to Wm. Pitt, who died in Salt Lake City, had not walked
upon her feet for eleven years. We carried her into the water
and I baptized her.
On the evening of the 18th of May, 1840> at Brother
Kingston's house in Dymock, Elders Brigham Young, Willard
Richards and I laid hands upon her head and confirmed her.
Brigham Young, being mouth, rebuked her lameness, and com-
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manded her to arise and walk, in the name of the Lord. The
lameness then left her, and she never afterwards used a staff
or crutch.
She walked through the town of Dymock next day, which
created a stir among the people; but the wicked did not feel to
give God the glory.
The whole history of this Herefordshire mission shows the
importance of listening to the still small voice of the Spirit of
God and the revelations of the Holy Ghost.
The Lord had a people there prepared for the gospel. They
were praying for light and truth, and the Lord sent me to them,
and I declared the gospel of life and salvation unto them, and
some eight hundred souls received it, and many of them have
been gathered to Zion in these mountains. Many of them have
also been called to officiate in the bishopric, and have done much
goo.l in Zion. But in all these things we should ever acknowl-
edge the hand of God, and give Him the honor, praise and glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
CHAPTER XXV.
Closing Testimony— Good and Evil Spirits.
Before closing this little book, as a reader for our children,
I wish to bear my testimony upon several principles, to the
Latter-day Saints, especially to the rising generation, the young
men of Israel.
First, I wish to speak of the spirits of good and evil. The
Lord says, whatever leads to good is of God, and whatever leads
to do evil is of the devil. This is a very important subject for
us to understand.
The scriptures again tell us that there are many spirits
gone out into the world; and that we should try the spirits, to
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prove which are of God and which are of the evil one. The New
Testament says that every spirit that confesses that Jesus is
the Christ, is born of God; and every spirit that denieth that
Jesus is the Christ is anti-Christ, and is not of God. I will also
add that every spirit that confesses that Joseph Smith was a
Prophet of God, and that the Book of Mormon, Bible and Doc-
trine and Covenants are true, is of God ; and every spirit that
denieth this is not of God, but is of the evil one.
I wish here to ask our young friends as well as the older
ones, the question: Do you ever consider or contemplate any-
thing about the number of the evil spirits that occupy the earth,
who are at war against God and against all good, and who seek
to destroy all the children of men in every age of the world?
Let us reason together a moment upon this subject. It
may be impossible for any man, without direct revelation from
God, to get to know the exact number, but we may approximate
towards it.
The Lord has said by revelation that Lucifer, an angel in
authority, rebelled against God, and drew away one-third part
of the hosts of heaven; and he was cast down to the earth and
the heavens wept over him.
How many were cast out of heaven down to the earth? We
suppose that the inhabitants of heaven here referred to were
the spirits begotten of our Father in heaven who were to come
down to the earth and take tabernacles. How many were there
to come down and take tabernacles? This, again, may be diffi-
cult to tell, yet perhaps we may come near enough for the pur-
pose. It has generally been conceded that there are about
1,000,000,000 persons oft the earth at a time, though the late
statistics make out 1,400,000,000 at the present time. But we
will say 1,000,000,000. It is also said that a generation passes
off the earth every thirty-three and one-third years, making
three generations in a century, which would be 3,000,000,000
in one hundred years. Multiptylthis by ten and it. will make
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30,000,000,000 in 1,000 years. Multiply again by seven and it
will make 210,000,000,000 in 7,000 years.
The argument might be used that when our earth was first
peopled there were but two persons on the earth, and after the
flood but eight souls were left alive, but the probability is that
during the millennium the inhabitants will increase very fast as
the age of children will be as the age of a tree, and the inhabi-
tants of the earth will not die off as they do now.
But we will suppose that there were 100,000,000,000 of
fallen spirits sent down from heaven to earth, and that there
are, 1,000,000,000 of inhabitants upon the face of the earth
today, that would make one hundred evil spirits to every man,
woman and child living on the earth, and the whole mission and
labor of these spirits is to lead all the children of men to do
evil and to effect their destruction.
Now, I want all our boys and girls to reflect upon this, and
to see what danger they are in, and the warfare they have to
pass through.
These one hundred evil spirits to each one of the children
of men seek to lead them into every temptation possible, to use
tobacco, smoke, drink whisky, get drunk, curse, swear, lie, steal,
and commit adultery and murder, and do every evil to cut them
off from exaltation as far as possible.
On the other hand, the Spirit of God labors and strives to
preserve all the children of men from these evils; and the Lord
has given His angels charge concerning us, and they do all they
can for our salvation.
But yet we all have our agency, to choose the good and
refuse the evil, or choose the evil and refuse the good. The
Lord forces no man to heaven; neither does the Lord tempt any
man to do evil. When a man is tempted to do evil, it is by the
power of the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.
I feel very anxious to have our boys and girls, our young
men and maidens, seek for that which is good.
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Whenever you are tempted to do evil, turn from it. Never
make light of any of the commandments or ordinances of the
gospel of Christ, and when you meet with any persona who do
it, shun their society.
Avoid the use of tobacco and strong drink, for they lead
to evil.
You are laying the foundation while in the days of your
youth, for a character which will decide your destiny through
all time and throughout all eternity, either for good or evil.
The Lord has told us by revelation (See Doc. and Cov. Sec.
130) that whatever knowledge or principle of intelligence we
attain to in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection, and
any person who gains more knowledge and intelligence in this
life through his diligence and obedience than another, will have
so much the advantage in the world to come.
Therefore, we should all strive to be diligent in obtaining
intelligence, and bringing to pass righteousness upon our agency,
and not wait to be commanded in all things, and great will be
our reward in so doing.
CHAPTER XXVI.
How to Obtain Revelation from God — Joseph Smith's Course — Saved
from Death by a Falling Tree by Obeying the Voice of the Spirit —
A Company of Saints Saved from a Steamboat Disaster by the
Spirit's Warning— Plot to Waylay Elder C. C. Rich and Party
Foiled by the Same Power.
In order to obtain revelation from God, and in order to
know when we do obtain revelation, whether it is from God or
not, we must follow the teachings of the revelations of God
unto us. St. James says: "If any man lack wisdom, let him
ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth
not; and it shall be given him." Again, it is said, "Ask, and
it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall
be opened unto you."
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It was upon this promise that Joseph^ Smith went before
the Lord and prayed in the name of Jesus Christ, and asked for
knowledge, wisdom and understanding in order to know what
to do to be saved; and he proved the promises of St. James
before the Lord, and the heavens were opened to his view, and
the Father and Son were revealed unto him, and the voice of
the great Eloheim unto him was: "This is my beloved Son, hear
ye Him."
This was the first revelation of God to him. He did
hearken to the voice of Jesus Christ all his life afterwards, and
received a code of revelations and the word of the Lord unto
him as long as he dwelt in the flesh.
Joseph Smith left as strong a testimony as was ever given
to the human family, and sealed that testament with his own
life and blood.
We all have to pursue the very same course in order to
obtain revelations from God. But I wish to impress this truth
upon the rising generation and all who read this testimony,that
the Lord does not give revelations or send angels to men or
work miracles to accommodate the notions of any man who is
seeking for a sign.
When we have the principles of the gospel revealed to us
through the mouth of the Savior, or by inspired prophets or
apostles, we have no need to ask the Lord to reveal that unto
us again. While the priesthood is restored to the earth, and
the revelations of God are revealed to us through the mouths
of prophets and apostles concerning the fullness of the gospel
— doctrine, ordinances and principles, we should study them,
and treasure up knowledge by faith. We should study out of
the best books, and the Holy Ghost will bring to our
remembrance those things which we stand in need of, in the
selfsame hour that we are called to teach the people.
But when any priest, elder, prophet, apostle, or messenger
is sent of God to preach the gospel, gather the Saints, work in
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temples or perform any work for the Lord, and that man is faithful
and humble before the Lord in his prayers and duty, and there
is any snare or evil in his path, or the righteous to be sought
out, or danger to the emigration of the Saints either by sea or
land, or knowledge needed in a temple, then the Lord will
reveal to him all that is necessary to meet the emergency.
The teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith to President
John Taylor and the rest of us was to obtain the Holy Spirit,
get acquainted with it and its operations, and listen to the
whisperings of that Spirit and obey its voice, and it soon will
become a principle of revelation unto us.
We have found this true in our experience, and in order to
prove whether a revelation is from God or not we follow out
the principles revealed to us, and if we find that which was
manifested to us prove true, we know it is from God; for truth
is one of His attributes, and the Holy Ghost deceweth no man.
When a man becomes acquainted with the whisperings of the
Holy Ghost, which is revelation, he should be very careful to
obey it, for his life may depend upon it. Revelation is one of
the gifts of the Holy Ghost, and for the benefit of my young
friends who may read thi? work, I will give an account of a
few instances from my own experience of listening to the
revelations of the Holy Ghost to me.
In 1848, after my return to Winter Quarters from our
pioneer journey, I was appointed by the Presidency of the
Church to take my family and go to Boston, to gather up the
remnant of the Saints and lead them to the valleys of the
mountains .
While on my way east I put my carriage into the yard of
one of the brethren in Indiana, and Brother Orson Hyde set his
wagon by the side of mine, and not more than two feet from it.
Dominicus Carter, of Provo, and my wife and four children
were with me. My wife, one child and I went to bed in the
carriage, the rest sleeping in the house.
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I had been in bed but a short time, when a voice said to
me, ''Get up, and move your carriage."
It was not thunder, lightning nor an earthquake, but the
still, small voice of th> Spirit of God — the Holy Ghost.
I told my"wife I must get up and move my carriage. She
asked: "What for?"
I told her I did not know, only the Spirit told me to do it.
I got up and moved my carriage several rods, and set it by
the side of the house.
As I was returning to bed, the same Spirit said to me,
"Go and move your mules away from that oak tree," which was
about one hundred yards north of our carriage.
I moved them to a young hickory grove and tied them up.
I then went to bed.
In thirty minutes a whirlwind caught the tree to which my
mules had been fastened, broke it off near the ground and
carried it one hundred yards, sweeping away two fences in its
course, and laid it prostrate through that yard where my
carriage stood, and the top limbs hit my carriage as it was.
In the morning I measured the trunk of the tree which
fell where my carriage had stood, and I found it to be five feet
in circumference. It came within a foot of Brother Hyde's
wagon, but did not touch it.
Thus by obeying the revelation of the Spirit of God to me
I saved my life, the lives of my wife and child, as well as my
animals.
In the morning I went on my way rejoicing.
While returning to Utah in 1850, with a large company of
Saints from Boston and the east, on my arrival at Pittsburg, I
engaged a passage for myself and company on a steamer to St.
Louis. But no sooner had I engaged the passage than the Spirit
said to me, "Go not on board of that steamer, neither you nor
your company."
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I obeyed the revelation to me, and I did not go on board,
but took another steamer.
The first steamer started at dark, with two hundred
passengers on board. When five miles down the Ohio river it
took lire and burned the tiller ropes, so that the vessel could
not reach the shore, and the lives of nearly all on board were
lost either by fire or water. We arrived in safety at our
destination, by obeying the revelation of the Spirit of God to us.
In another instance, after attending a large annual
conference in Salt Lake City, and having a good deal of business
to attend to, I was somewhat weary, and at the close of the
conference I thought I would repair to my home and have a rest.
As I went into the yard the Spirit said to me, "Take your
team and go to the farm, " which is some three miles south of
the Tabernacle.
As I was hi killing the horse to the wagon Mrs. Woodruff
asked where I was going.
I said, ' 'To the farm."
4 'What for?" she asked.
"I do not know," I replied; but when I arrived there I
found out.
The creek had overflowed, broken through my ditch,
surrounded my home, and filled my barnyard and pig pen. My
wife was wading in the water, trying to turn it from the lot,
to save the home and family.
Through my own exertions I soon turned it and prevented
much damage that might have occurred had I not obeyed the
voice of the Spirit.
This same Spirit of revelation has been manifested to
many of my brethren in their labors in the kingdom of God, one
of which I will here name.
Elder Charles C. Rich was going from Sacramento to San
Bernardino with a company of brethren. He had in his
possession a large amount of money to make payment on their
8
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land purchase. This was known to some road agents in the
vicinity, who gathered a company of robbers and went on
ahead of Brother Rich and lay in ambush, intending to kill the
"Mormons" and rob them of their money.
Before reaching the company of robbers Brother Rich
came to a by-path or trail. The Spirit then told him to take
that path.
The brethren with him marveled at his course, not knowing
that enemies awaited them, but they arrived in safety at San
Bernardino with their lives and money, while the robbers
wondered why their prey did not come.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Result of not Obeying the Voice of the Spirit — Lost in a Snowstorm —
Saved in Answer to Prayer — Revelation to Missionaries Necessary
— Revelations in the St. George Temple.
I will now give an example from my own experience of the
result of not obeying the voice of the Spirit.
Some years since I had part of my family living in
Randolph, Rich County. I was there on a visit, with my team,
in the month of December.
One Monday morning my monitor, the Spirit watching over
me, said: "Take your team and go home to Salt Lake City."
When I named it to my family who were at Randolph they
urged me strongly to stop longer.
Through their persuasion I stayed until Saturday morning,
with the Spirit continually prompting me to go home. I then
began to feel ashamed to think that I had not obeyed the
whisperings of the Spirit to me before.
I took my team and started early on Saturday morning.
When I anived at Woodruff, the Bishop urged me to stop until
Monday and he would go with me.
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I told him, "No, I have tarried too long already.'
I drove on sprightly, and when within fifteen miles of
Wasatch, a furious snow storm overtook me, the wind blowing
heavily in my face.
In fifteen minutes I could not see any road whatever, and
knew not how or where to guide my horses.
I left my lines loosely on my animals, went inside my
wagon, tied down my cover, and committed my life and
guidance into the hands of the Lord, trusting to my horses to
find the way, as they had twice before passed over that road.
I prayed to the Lord to forgive my sin in not obeying the
voice of the Spirit to me, and implored Him to preserve
my life.
My horses brought me into the Wasatch station at 9
o'clock in the evening, with the hubs of my wagon dragging in
the snow.
I got my horses under cover and had to remain there until
the next Monday night, with the snow six feet deep on the level
and still snowing.
It was with great difficulty at last that I saved the lives of
my horses by getting them into a box car and taking them to
Ogden; while if I had obeyed the revelation of the Spirit of God
to me, I should have traveled to Salt Lake City over a good
road without any storm.
As I have received the good and the evil, the fruits of
obedience and disobedience, I think I am justified in exhorting all
my young friends to always obey the whisperings of the Spirit
of God, and they will always be safe.
The Spirit of God will rule over and guide all men who
will permit it and seek for it, and this is especially necessary
for young Elders who are laboring in the vineyard of the Lord .
For the Lord knows where the righteous, honest and meek of
the earth are, and will lead the Elders to them.
I have already related a remarkable instance of this in my
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own experience; when the voice of the Lord came to me in the
town of Hanley, England, in 1840.
In that case it dictated me quite contrary to my
expectations, for I had appointments out for a week ahead.
But I obeyed the voice of the Spirit,went south as I was directed,
and my readers know the result.
I will refer to one more instance in my experience upon
the subject of revelation :
All the Latter-day Saints understand that we build
temples for the purpose of administering ordinances for the
dead as well as for the living. The Lord has opened the way
in a remarkable manner for many of the members of the
Church to obtain records of the names of their dead for several
generations.
I had also obtained a record of somewhat over three
thousand of my father and mother's families.
After the dedication of the temple at St. George, President
Young appointed me to preside over it. When we commenced
work in the temple I began to reflect: "How can I redeem my
dead? I have some three thousand names of the dead who have
been baptized for, and how can I get endowments for them':"
I had none of my family there, and if any had been there
they would not have been able to get endowments for so many.
While praying to the Lord to show me how to redeem my
dead, the Spirit of God rested upon me, and the voice of
the Spirit said to me, "Go and call upon the sons and
daughters of Zion in St. George, to come into the temple
of the Lord and get endowments for your dead; and it shall
be acceptable unto me, saith the Lord."
This filled my soul with joy, and I saw that it opened a
field as wide as eternity for the salvation of our dead and the
redemption of man, that we might magnify our calling as
saviors upon Mount Zion.
On my birthday, March 1, 1877, the day that I was
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seventy years old, one hundred and fifty-four sisters at St.
George went into the temple to get endowments for the same
number of the female portion of my dead.
This principle was received by President Young and adopted
from that hour, and through the kindness of friends I have had
nearly two thousand of my friends receive endowments in the
temple of the Lord, and thousands of others have received the
same blessings in the same way.
President Young received revelations in the temple, and
there are yet many revelations to be received in the last days,
concerning the redemption of the dead and many other subjects,
but they will all be manifest in due time, through the proper
authority unto the Church and Kingdom of God.
There are many other manifestations of the power of God
and the revelations of Jesus Christ to us in our lives. We
have been called by revelation to give endowments for many
persons now dead, who, when living were honorable men of the
earth, and some who were prominent in our nation, but who
were not members of our family.
But I have said sufficient upon this branch of the subject .
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Patriarchal Blessings and Their Fulfill mpiit — Predictions in my Own
Blessing — G>-ld Dust From Califorria — Taught by an Angel —
Struggle with Evil Spirits— Administered to by Angels— What
Angels are Sent to the Earth for.
The duty of a Patriarch is to bestow blessings upon his
posterity and the children of men.
In a revelation (Doc. and Cov., sec. 107) the Lord says that
"Three years previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth,
Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch and Methuselah, who
were all High Priests, with the residue of his posterity who
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were righteous into the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and there
bestowed upon them his last blessings. * * And Adam
predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto
the last generation. These things are all written in the book
of Enoch, and are to be testified of in due time."
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were patriarchs, and blessed
their posterity. All that Jacob said and sealed upon the heads
of his twelve sons has been fulfilled to the very letter, so far as
time has permitted.
We also have patriarchs in our day. Father Joseph Smith,
the father of the Prophet Joseph Smith, was the first Patriarch
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He gave a
great many blessings unto the Saints, which are recorded, and
many of them have seen their fulfillment.
When he put his hands on the head of a person to bless
him, it seemed as though the heavens were opened, and he
could reveal the whole life of that person.
He gave me my patriarchal blessing in the temple of the
Lord at Kirtland, on the 15th day of April, 1837.
Many marvelous things which he sealed upon my head,
for which I could then see no earthly chance of fulfillment,
have already been fulfilled to the very letter.
One or two instances I will name. He said I should have
access to the treasures hid in the ground to assist me in
getting myself and others to Zion.
In 1850, while I was in Cambridgeport gathering up the
Saints, Alexander Badlam went to California on business, and
the Saints who were digging gold there filled a little sack with
gold dust and sent it to me to assist me on my mission.
By the sale of this treasure from California I was enabled
to emigrate myself, family and a number of others to Zion in
the mountains.
He also said I should have power to bring my father and
his family into the Church. This was fulfilled when I visited
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them during my mission to the Fox Islands, as previously
related.
My father gathered to Salt Lake City with the Saints, and
he died there, aged eighty- three years.
The Patriarch also said that I should be wrapped in the
visions of heaven, and the angels of God should teach me many
things. This was literally fulfilled.
Again, he told me I should be delivered from my enemies
(who would seek my destruction) by the mighty power of God
and the administrations of angels. This was marvelously fulfilled
while in the city of London, in 1840. Brothers Heber C.
Kimball, George A . Smith and I went to London together in
the winter of 1840, being the first Elders who had attempted to
establish the gospel in that great and mighty city.
As soon as we commenced, we found the devil was manifest;
the evil spirits gathered for our destruction, and at times they
had great power.
They would destroy all the Saints if they were not
restrained by the power of God.
Brother Smith and I were together, and had retired to our
rest, each occupying a cot and but three feet apart.
We had only just lain down, when it seemed as if a legion
of devils made war upon us to destroy us, and we were
struggling for our lives in the midst of this warfare of evil
spirits until we were nearly choked to death.
I began to pray the best I could in the midst of this
struggle, and asked the Father in the name of Jesus Christ to
spare our lives.
While thus praying three personages entered the room,
clothed in white and encircled with light.
. They walked to our bedside, laid hands upon our heads and
we were instantly delivered; and from that time forth we were
no more troubled with evil spirits while in the city of London.
As soon as they administered unto us they withdrew from
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the room, the lights withdrew with them and darkness
returned.
Many other sayings of the Patriarch Joseph Smith in my
blessing have been fulfilled in my experience, but I have said
sufficient on this subject. All the blessing that are sealed upon
our heads will be fulfilled, and many more if we are faithful and
live for them.
In closing my testimony I wish to say that I do not think
that the Lord ever sends an angel to the earth to visit the
children of men, unless it is necessary to introduce a
dispensation of the gospel, or deliver a message or perform a
work that cannot be done otherwise.
It required an angel of God to deliver the gospel to Joseph
Smith, because it was not then upon the earth, and that was in
fulfillment of the word of the Lord through John the Revelator
(Revelation xiv, 6). And so in regard to the administrations
of angels in all ages of the world; it is to deliver a message
and perform a work which cannot otherwise be accomplished.
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